If The Shoe Fits
by Meggin Lane
Summary: All his life Dean had trained to be a hunter and he couldn’t imagine doing anything else, but it was the training he’d had along the way, taking care of his brother that really put him on the path of his true calling.
1. Chapter 1 If the Shoe Fits

Chapter 1-If the Shoe fits

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, just love 'em. Wish ta 'el I worked for Kripke.

All his life Dean had trained to be a hunter and he couldn't imagine doing anything else, but it was the training he'd had along the way, taking care of his brother that really put him on the path of his true calling.

* * *

People die, families get torn apart all the time.

When parents die and children are suddenly orphaned it's up to society to take them in, care for them, help them heal and in time become whole again. But there were special circumstances surrounding these kids. What they'd seen and the injuries they'd sustained when their parents had been ripped away; didn't fall into any category that the State Welfare System or Child Services could handle. Hell, if these kids told any of the grief counselors or child psychologists what they saw that killed their momma or daddies they'd spend the rest of their broken lives locked up in an asylum just for trying to tell the truth.

No healing there.

Bobby knew first hand the tough spot those kids were in. He had personally watched two boys grow up that had gone their whole lives dealing with the shit that this kind of trauma can do to you. If it hadn't been for the fact that as children they still had their Dad and him, there was no telling how much more screwed up Dean and Sam could have been.

And as the demon war began to escalate more and more children became stranded in a system that did not know how to handle their trauma did not even believe the cause of it existed.

So the Shoe, as it came to be known, started out as place to bring those kinds of kids, just temporarily, until something better could be figured out. It looked like any other old farmhouse in the western states. American Gothic style, sharp peaked tin roof , chalky white paint and a big welcoming front porch. No frills.

The lady that ran the place had been a counselor for child services for years and a children's rights advocate. At thirty-six, Emmaline Coulter had made quite a name for herself as a lioness in the courtroom and was tireless in her pursuit of justice against any that would raise their hand or abuse a child in her precinct. You didn't mess with Em.

It had been her career, no her crusade, until that night when a hunter showed up on her doorstep with a little boy. The child had been silent because of what he'd he witnessed and the desperate hunter had a proposition for her.

He told her the truth.

He told her about what was really going on behind the rash of horrific family slaughters that had sprung up around the country. Hunters and their children were being targeted by the demons that escaped from Hell and the children that survived the attacks had no place to turn that would believe them. No place where they could go to begin to heal. His passionate tale was horrible, unimaginable and completely outside the realm of anything Emmaline had ever encountered in her long career. But the most eloquent conveyer of the nightmare these kids were living with was the boy at his side who never said a word. Em kept glancing at him while the hunter spoke... the child just stood there and stared off into space. _No one,_ thought Em as her throat clenched in grief for him, _No one should ever become so shattered especially so young. _

She gave her notice the next day.

Two weeks later the twin girls arrived and then a brother and sister. More and more came to her door, Bobby even had the sad duty to bring several children of friends of his there just in this past year. The place got crowded and an addition had to be built and then a second building to house the clinic and the hospital rehab center. That's when Emmaline began referring to it as "the Shoe" there didn't seem to any end in sight for new arrivals, "so many children" that she sometimes didn't know what one person could do. But she did it. She gave them safety, love and endless patience.

Everything was supplied by hunters : money to run it, health care personnel, medical equipment and it was all done under the radar of the authorities. Hunters are very resourceful like that, they have to be.

So when Em opened the door to see the familiar face of Bobby standing there but no little child at his side gripping his strong hand; her brow formed a crease that ran across its length. He never made just social calls and him being there empty-handed gave her the feeling he was going to tell her some really bad news. Perhaps another attack had happened and she was going to be inundated with a busload of little refugees from this unholy war.

"Come in Bobby," She said and stepped aside. Her old friend took the cap off his head and entered past her. They both headed to the back of the house to the big warm kitchen. The smells of breakfast, oatmeal, eggs, bacon and freshly baked bread still hung in the air.

"Up for breakfast?" She offered as the sounds of children's laughter drifted in from the yard outside.

Bobby sat down heavily in one of the chairs and said "Coffee'd be just fine".

As she got the heavy mugs down from the cupboard she stole glances at her friend and her straight strong brows knit together as she tried to read his careworn features.

Emmaline had big gray-blue eyes and they were casting a worried glance at him as he took the first sip. He still hadn't looked at her yet as he took his second and that meant that what he came to say was bad.

Finally he turned to face her, and for a moment she thought she saw a flicker of fear behind his eyes, "I got some Intel last night and it looks like a group of demons is heading for the Shoe." Bobby said in a flat controlled voice. "From all indications it seems like they want to make an example outta this place."

The pit of her stomach fell and grew cold and she felt the icy fingers of fear tickle up her spine. _This was a safe house, it was a strong hold. Charms and wards had been placed all over the house and surrounding property to protect the children here._ And then just as suddenly her fear turned to righteous anger. _How dare they, those spawn from Hell, haven't they already done enough damage to these kids lives? Well, not on her watch, not in her home._

Bobby observed her face with interest as it went from crestfallen to fierce. That's the Em he knew.

With the same fire in her eyes that had made defense attorneys blanche she tilted her chin up and asked, "What do I have to do?"

Bobby smiled a little at that because he knew she would barricade the house and fight till her last breath before she let any harm come to the charges under her care.

"I've got a group of hunters coming in from around the country to stop them.."

She smirked back and with a raise of one eyebrow said "You'll head them off at the pass?"

Bobby gave her an impatient look and said, "We'll handle it, but I'll be sending over two of the best to make sure you and the kids are safe until we round up those sonsabitches and send 'em back to Hell."

"Anyone I know?, She asked.

"No, but I can't think of any two better suited to watch over this place. I'd trust them with my life Em."

Well that got her attention she'd never heard Bobby give out that kind of praise before.

She paused a moment noting the intense pride he showed as he said that. She asked "What are their names?"

"Sam and Dean Winchester" and he said their names like they meant something.

"They related?" she asked.

"Yeah, they're brothers."

Her voice softened as she asked with a quizzical look, "They related to you?"

Bobby's eyes became less hard and there was a trace of… something… about his face as he said, "No…not directly, no, but I watched them grow up."

"Really, how old are they?"

And then the look on Bobby's face changed to a kind of sadness as he explained, "Dean's thirty and Sam's twenty-six, and letting his voice drop even softer he added, "they have a lot more experience in this kind of work than you'd guess by their ages."

And suddenly she got it. They were only a few years younger than her and that meant they'd been dealing with what's out there, hunting,…. for most of their lives. "Oh," She said softly as the weight of understanding hit her.

As if on cue the rumbling sound of the Impala pulling up beside Bobby's truck interrupted the silence that had filled the kitchen. When Bobby heard the rough creaking sound of two car doors opening and solid slam of both doors being shut he said, "That'd be them" And he and Em went to answer the knocks on the front door.

Bobby swung the door open and Em got a chance to size up these champions he'd enlisted to keep her kids and her safe.

Bobby introduced the shorter of the two as Dean who nodded and said "Ma'me" and gave her a cocky radiant smile.

Ma'me? She thought, since when had she become Ma'me to anyone especially someone so close to her own age?

She pegged him as _The_ _Alpha Male_ as she looked at the man that stood in front of her. He was about six inches taller than her, his hair was sandy brown, close cropped in a military style hair cut, he had a muscular build and startling hazel green eyes set in a boyish almost pretty face. _And bravado to spare._ She'd seen younger versions of his type countless times before in child services; all tough and confident on the outside while hiding wounds so deep on the inside. She could only guess what he may have witnessed in his past and she got a jolt of pain inside her heart as she looked into those amazing yet closed off eyes that gazed back at her.

The taller one, Sam was introduced next and he gave her a shy dimpled grin as he extended his hand and said, "Pleased to meet you Ms. Coulter, Bobby's told us a lot about you and the work you do here."

_The negotiator,_ she thought as she took his hand and was rewarded with a gentle but firm grasp in return. His eyes had softness to them and the way his shaggy brown hair framed his face when he dipped his head down to make better eye contact showed skill in putting people at ease. _He's very good at keeping control of a situation_.

Smiling Bobby, clapped both of the younger men on their shoulders, and said, "These two are like son's to me Em, so go easy on them," and then he gave a wink to them and added, "they're not used to being around civilized folk much but they clean up decent and know this business inside and out; so you'll be safe with them here."

"Hey?!" and "Bobby, nice intro man!" Were the joint, somewhat embarrassed replies the Winchesters shouted to his back as Bobby went down the steps, got into his truck and headed out to the assignment. Em stood on the porch and touched her lips with her fingers to hide the smirk that his parting shot caused.

Still smiling she turned back to the two men who where watching their friend leave and said, "He loves you very much… you're lucky to have him in your lives."

The brothers were still focused on the retreating truck as it disappeared down the long dirt road answered with respect in their voices, "We know."

After a moment she said, "Well, have you had breakfast, the kitchen is open and we're still serving"

At the same time Sam answered "Uh, don't go to any trouble." Dean enthusiastically overruled "Love some!" And she watched the younger one shoot his older brother –the look.

Her full smile warmed her voice as she said,"OK then, we don't stand on ceremony here, follow me and I'll let you help your selves."

As they followed her back to the kitchen they took in every detail of the house: the size of the windows, what kinds of latches, where they were in relationship to the door how many rooms off the hallway they were traveling down. Each brother made a mental note to fully scout the building for any areas of weak defense.

Along with the recon Dean was storing in his head he couldn't help but notice that there were plenty of photographs framed along the walls. Each one was of a child or group of children. They were candid shots of smiling faces and children at play. There were also a few of children caught deep in thought and ones of melancholy moments. Those touched him the most because he'd seen that same expression on his brother's face countless times as he watched Sam grow up. Then the realization hit him hard, " _Jesus there's a whole house of 'em here all under this one roof!_ and for a moment he felt his heart pinch.

The kitchen they walked into was big and bright. It had all the appointments of any church hall anywhere in America, built to feed masses but not so institutional that you couldn't feel the warmth. In the center were long wooden tables flanked by benches and mismatched chairs. A smaller table was at the corner of the room with chairs proportionally smaller tucked beside it. And scattered between them were the high chairs. Dean counted five_. Jesus._

A buffet area had been set up along one counter with big stainless steel warming pans holding still steaming helpings of: scrambled eggs, bacon, oatmeal and sausages. Emmaline reached up into the cabinets and grabbed down two big plates and passed them over to Dean and Sam motioning them to serve themselves. And she was amused to watch the transformation come over the older Winchester. He was suddenly like a kid in a candy store, eagerly lifting the metal lids off each server and expressing 'OOO's' and 'AHH's' and 'Sam you gotta try some of this!' All the while heaping a serving of each new find on his plate. The younger man was much more restrained in manner, took smaller portions and conscientiously replaced lids back on servers that his enthused brother had set aside or placed back on askew.

Both brothers opted to lean against the counter rather than sit stating that their legs needed to stretch after the long ride here. And ate their meal in appreciative silence.

Em moved over to the bread box and took out one of the loaves intending to carve a couple of thick slices off for them, and Dean suddenly broke the silence; his voice had an almost reverent quaver to it as he asked, "Is…that…FRESH baked bread?"

Emmaline's eyes went wide for a moment at hearing the sound of sheer wonder and want in the older brothers voice and was not prepared, when she looked up, to see both Sam's and Dean's 'puppy dog eyes' locked on to the loaf of cinnamon swirl bread and her hand poised to carve it. It was so hard for her not to smile or tear up at seeing her 'Heroes' grow weak from such a simple pleasure; so she settled for making a little cough and saying, "Yes, baked fresh this morning-want some?"

"YES!" and "Please!" Dean and Sam said in unison their voices blending like brothers' do.

* * *

After breakfast and some much needed coffee the brothers went out to the car to bring their gear in. Not far away a group of children were choosing up sides for a game of dodge ball. Dean noticed one boy standing apart from the rest. He was nine or ten years old. Brown longish hair and wore glasses. There was something about the way the boy watched the others that resonated familiar with him. He appeared to be very observant, taking in everything the other kids were doing and saying but he just stood to the side, hands jammed in his pockets with trace of a small frown on his face. None of the other kids even registered that he was there. When Dean brought in his first load of gear he paused at the foot of the stairs and asked Emmaline who the boy was.

She told him his name was James and he was the first to ever come here. He was all-alone in the world since the demon that attached his home killed both his parents and his little sister. She nodded at the boy and said, "He hasn't spoken a word, but he understands everything you say and he acts as the resident 'protector' of all the smaller children."

Dean raised an eyebrow and looked out to the yard. The boy was still standing by, like a silent guardian. "Huh" was the only comment Dean made as he turned and headed up the stairs to his room near the landing. But the look on the boy's face had brought up some old memories. As he unpacked those thoughts came back to him. Nights when he was so small and so afraid that all that held him together was to focus on little Sammy as he slept. How he remembered that every hitch in his baby brothers breathing every other loud snore would wake him up and how he'd lie there heart racing, eyes whisking around the room until he'd get his bearings; telling himself that it was just a new motel room, that Sammy was still sleeping, that there were no other noises for him to be panicked about. And how the sound of his little brothers soft, steady breathing was the only thing that let him relax enough again to finally go back to sleep. Those memories slipped back behind his mind as Dean closed the last drawer of the dresser he'd been filling with his clothes. As he stepped out of the room to get the rest of the gear he saw Sam as he was going out of his own room at the other end of the hall.

Most of their lives were spent in close quarters with each other, either traveling in the car for hours or sharing a room in a cheap motel so the luxury of personal space was rare and gave Dean an opportunity to tease his younger brother. He clapped Sam the shoulder as they both headed toward the stairs saying "Hey, You gonna be able to sleep tonight being so far away?" Sam rolled his eyes and snarked back, "you know what would help, if you could just let a few 'extra onions' rip in there before you turn in and then it will smell like your there all night." Dean buckled over laughing and almost lost his footing on the last stairs as Sam followed behind him smiling. Then Dean straightened up and with his so serious face said, "Well, if you really think it will help, I'll ask Ms. Coulter if we could have boiled onions and Broccoli with our supper tonight.." Sam scowled back at him, "Dude, don't even think about it.."

A sudden high-pitched scream and the sounds of a scuffle out side caused the banter to stop and had them both dash outside to see what the problem was. Dean sized up the situation as they ran. _There was a fight all right. The biggest kid, the one that had been choosing up sides was sitting on top of 'silent Jim'(_Dean had in this moment nicknamed the quiet watchful boy)_ and was pounding the shit outta him. It looked like Jim musta gotten at least one in because the older boys nose was bleeding._

"Stop it booger face! He didn't do nothing wrong." Screamed the girl standing close to the fight.

Dean was the first to arrive and without even thinking grabbed "booger face" and lifted him up and off Silent Jim and turned with the still swinging boy in his arms surprised to see MS. Coulter standing there. Without saying a word he passed him over to her and she clamped and iron like pinch onto the child's ear. Booger face yowled once and then stopped struggling. She glared fiercely at the boy and then to Dean giving him a quick 'I'll take over here nod' and marched the very repentant mewling bully back to the house. As they retreated Dean and Sam caught bits of her strident voice, "Ever hit someone smaller…catch you again you'll regret…knock some sense…"

Sam bent down and asked the sniffling little girl about what happened. Dean stood over Silent Jim who still lay on the ground, and reached his hand down to him. At first the boy just lay there, like he was making up his mind whether or not to trust this stranger looming over him. Then his hand shot up and he gripped Deans firmly and Dean pulled him up to stand on his feet.

The boy just stood there as Dean looked carefully into his face. He wasn't crying, he just stood there looking past Dean stoically. "Well, lets get you cleaned up a little so I can check the damage. OK?" Dean said. He got no reply, but he hadn't expected one. He took the child by the shoulder and steered him toward the Impala. Dean opened the driver's side door and reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a box sani-wipes they used for quick cleanup from fast food runs. Pulling out a few he handed them to Jim. "Here, wipe your face down so I can check it out." Dean said to him.

At first the silent boy just looked at the moist cloths in his hand, then he closed his eyes and slowly wiped the dirt and blood off the areas that hurt the most. Dean reached down and took the soiled cloths from him and passed him a new handful. As the boy cleaned Dean watched the way the little guys face pinched in pain as the alcohol wipe stung the spilt on his lip and the scratches where 'booger face" must have clawed him on the cheek and above is eye, but never did the child whimper or loose his control. That impressed the older Winchester.

"Ok" Dean said and he crouched down to eye level gently taking the boy by the chin and turning his head this way and that to eye the damage.

"Well, for the guy on the ground you did a good job protecting your self." Dean smiled in a knowing way at the boy. And Jimmy finally looked him in the eye. "Yessir," Dean added as he fished around in the medical kit. "Reminds me of the first fight I got into at school." Dean picked up a butterfly suture and began to ease it onto the child's lower lip. "There was this big moose of a kid, I guess he was the school bully, and he had a bad habit of taking other kids lunches," Dean reached into the medi kit and took out a tube of antibiotic ointment and began to apply it to the boys scratches. "Well, I was new to that school and he thought he'd break me in by trying to take my lunch too. Now, Sammy my brother, will tell you that one thing I enjoy is my food and I wasn't going to let this tub- o- lard take my only sustenance for the day from me so when he grabbed the bag I swung at him. The guy clocked me good. I went down like a sack of Idaho's finest. And he dropped right down on top of me and began poundin' the tar outta me. I was too surprised and too angry that he'd gotten the drop on me to shout or cry or anything! I just blocked all the punches that I could and when he was tired from all the swinging at me he went to get up and I came up faster. Got him right in the nose. Man, there was blood everywhere! 'Course that was about the time the teacher showed up and guess who got in trouble?"

James smiled and nodded once at Dean.

"You got it," Dean said as he straightened up and put the kit away. "The moose was bleeding and I wasn't so I had to sit in the corner in the back of the class." Then he gave a conspiratol wink at the boy and said, "I got to eat my lunch back there too, and it was the best tasting lunch I ever had."

James' smile broadened even more. Then Ms. Coulter was suddenly standing beside him brow wrinkled and peering at him with a worried look on her face. Emma gently took his chin and examined the butterfly bandage on his lip and the antibiotic glistened scratches. Turning to Dean she said, "Good choice using a butterfly, I don't think it'll need a stitch" And then she added, "Sam talked to Lizzie and found out that when Davie threw the ball at her she'd been turned away and it would have hit her real hard so James jumped in and blocked it and it went back and hit Davie in the nose. I guess he took it personally."

Dean looked at Silent Jim who was now standing looking straight ahead. Then Dean looked at Ms. Coulter and said, "Boys…" giving her a little shrug and that radiant smile .

She gave a little sigh and said to James, "You go in and go to your room for fifteen. I want both you and Davie to take time to cool off. Remember tonight's movie night and anymore fighting and you'll miss out."

James stoic look softened ever so slightly as he glanced up to meet Dean's eyes just before he turned and trudged back toward the house.

Emma watched him go and then she turned to the man beside her noting he was keeping a watchful eye on the boy himself. "That was good the way you handled James, I don't see him smile that often and you got the closest thing to a laugh out of him since he came here."

Dean turned to face her with his smirk back in place and said, "I spent a lot of time looking after my brother so I guess it's just second nature to me now, plus he reminds me of someone. Becoming suddenly serious Dean asked, " How long has he not talked?"

"Two years" Emma answered

Dean looked back at the boy as he entered the house and said, "he could come around and start again, he might surprise you."

And for a brief moment Emma saw the look of recognition on the older Winchesters face.

More to come…

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	2. Chapter 2 If the Shoe Fits

Chapter 2a -If The Shoe Fits

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, Just love 'em. Wished ta Hell I worked for Kripke

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Dean watched the front door to the house close behind Jim then glanced back at Ms. Coulter with his 'everything's cool' look back on his face. And his eyes met the same compassioned filled expression that she'd had when checking the boy's injuries.

"I, uh, just have to get the rest of my gear in," Dean said as he rubbed the back of his neck and nodded his goodbye. He could still feel the weight of that concern in her eyes as he walked back to the Impala. _"Man, Missouri could take lessons from her_!" He mumbled to him self as he grabbed the last of his stuff and slammed the trunk closed.

He looked up and saw that she hadn't gone in but was waiting for him, leaning against the screen door to hold it open for him, arms crossed and head tilted at an angle. _ "Shoot, why couldn't she have just gone in ahead of me? Wait… when was the last time Dean Winchester was intimidated by a girl, uh, woman? OK, Ellen but that's different"_ He slung one of the duffels over his shoulder and started toward the porch. As he approached he felt like she was daring him to walk past her_. _ He stopped in front of her and put his radiant smile back on and said, "So what's the movie?"

She looked up at him and gave a little nod starting to smile and for the first time he noticed the color of her eyes "_Deep blue, no gray-blue, no…blue, they're blue_."

"Godzilla-the original black and white" she said with her arms still crossed and that appraising look still on her face.

"Awesome! I love a good rubber monster movie," Dean said with honest enthusiasm.

"Rubber monster?" She asked and tilted her head a little to the side.

"Well yeh," Dean reached over her head to hold the door and gestured with the duffle for her to enter first. For a moment his body surrounded her, arms open, corralling her; even with his hands busy with duffle and door the symbolism made a blush rise to her cheeks and she quickly moved into the house.

Dean followed behind her saying, "When the costume is so hokey you can see the zipper, it just makes the movie less.."

"Scary?" she supplied.

"Less real" he finished… and there it was again. The animation that had been on his face moments ago was gone replaced by that mask of impassiveness.

She stopped and he moved past her to climb the stairs. Her hand moved up to her chin and she absent-mindedly began to stoke her thumb across it in a contemplative manner. She watched him while he carried his bags up the stairs; his head down for a few steps then he straightened and marched up the rest of the way with his head up.

The pinch in her heart made itself known again and she turned and walked toward the kitchen. _How does a person go through so much damage and still be so brave? _ She thought.

As soon as Dean heard the footsteps he chanced a look down and watched her heading to the kitchen. _How does she hold it together, man? How can she be there for so many and still hold it together like that? _

Sam had just come to the top of the stairs as his brother was watching Ms. Coulter leave. Dean was looking down at her when he almost bumped his head into Sam's chest. The sudden jostle made him loose his balance and Sam grabbed him before Dean and the duffels made a very ungraceful tumble back down the stairs.

"Dean!" Sam said as he grabbed his brother and steadied him.

"Jeeze man," Dean grunted as he collected himself. "Why don't you lie in wait for the big bads instead of your own brother!"

Sam smirked, "I wasn't lying in wait and you were totally checking out Ms. Coulter"

"Was not, and she's way too old and anyway she creeps me out the way she looks right through a person like, like Missouri…or somthin."

"Well, she does have a keen judge of character so that puts her totally out of your league' teased Sam.

Dean smiled and huffed, "She does have cahones I gotta give her that, she must be tough for all the hunters around to trust her with their kids."

As they walked back to Dean's room Sam agreed, "Yeah, I wouldn't have wanted to go up against her in court, Bobby said she ate Defense Attorneys for breakfast."

Dean looked back toward the stairs and said, "Oh, she'd have your ass on a cracker." And Sam gave him a punch in the arm as Dean dropped his stuff on the floor of his room.

"So you wanna finish the recon of the house and the out buildings before supper?" Dean asked.

"Yeah sure, but what's the rush?" Said Sam. "Shouldn't we take it building by building?"

"We can do a rough out of any defense weakness now and detail it tomorrow for anything missed." Dean replied as he stowed his gear. "Besides tonight's movie night and they're showing "Godzilla-the original!"

Sam smiled and rolled his eyes.

"Hey, you've never fully appreciated that classic and tonight will set the perfect mood what with all the kids screaming an all." Dean beamed at him.

"And maybe if we're lucky a popcorn fight will break out" Sam snarked

"Only if we're_ very_ lucky." Dean grinned back.

Sam shook his head at his big brother's unbridled enthusiasm for all things juvenile and said, "I'll meet you down stairs Dean-san".

Dean and Sam went through the kitchen on their way out back. The place was beginning to get busy with the production of the dinner for tonight. The older girls and boys that were on kitchen duty were getting vegetables washed and peeled. Big stainless steel cooking pots simmered on the stove and filled the room with a delicious beef aroma.

As they walked through to the back yard Dean noted that Emma was wearing an apron (do women in real life still wear those?) and chopping up peeled potatoes. He stopped by one of the big pots on the stove and inhaled audibly. "What's for supper?" he asked with his widest grin. Sam stopped by the back door, turned, and with a small smile on his face watched his brother shift into major shmooze mode in trying to converse with their host. Emma didn't bother to turn around and Dean's cheek aching grin was lost to her back. "Pot Roast" she said and kept chopping. The "MMMMmmm" Dean uttered was entirely genuine. "Sam, did you hear that? Ms. Coulter said Pot Roast that's your favorite!"

At that Emma stopped chopping and cast a sidways glance to Sam. He looked behind her, at Dean who was nodding his head up and down enthusiastically. And Sam said in a flat voice as he turned to Ms Coulter, "Yep, it is."

"Well, that's good then," She said. "Anyone who loves Pot Roast like you do won't mind pitching in with the serving when it comes time."

Sam glanced at Dean and Dean came up to him and gave him a big pat on the shoulder aligning himself to be in Emma's eye line.

"What, this guy? Just try to keep him out of a kitchen when Pot Roast is being served." And Dean turned his smile's wattage up a notch higher.

Emma looked at the two men. Sam's face was stoic and blank and Dean was grinning at her like a used car salesman. "What's the plan?" She asked directing her question to Dean.

His grin faltered a little. "Plan?" he repeated.

"Yes, you do have a plan, don't you?" she said as she wiped her hands on the apron and turned to them.

Dean blinked, "Oh, the _Plan_" he said. "Well, we thought we'd do a walk through. Check the yard and the outbuildings for anything that could be a breach in security. And tomorrow do a building-by-building recon. Beef up what you do have, assess what you need…it's complicated."

Emma frowned. "You shouldn't find much that we 'need'. The place is surrounded with protection charms, sulfur alarms and electromagnetic field fluctuation detectors all installed by hunters like yourselves to keep us safe."

Dean's eyebrows went up, _she was not completely unaware for a civilian_, "You've got SA's and EMFFD's around here?" he replied impressed. And he looked at Sam who looked equally impressed.

"Bobby himself installed the last lot of them," She confirmed.

"Well, that makes our job a whole lot easier, sounds like you and the kids are well protected." Dean nodded and smiled nudging his brother's arm with his elbow.

"Uh, yeah" Sam said smiling back as well. "It sounds like you've got things well in hand."

Clapping his hands together Dean turned smooze mode back on and asked "Soooo, what time do you want me to get Sam back here to help with the serving?"

"Just Sam?" Emma leveled her gaze at Dean.

Dean found himself dropping into the depths of those grey blue eyes, "Uh..no..WE…I'd love to help!" Dean heard himself saying (_and they're blue, deep grey blue-definitely_)

"Fine, Do you think you'll wrap up your first recon by six?"

"Yes, Ma'me," both men said in unison.

And turned as one to leave by the back door.

Emma watched them leave and the screen door creaked back shut._ There's that Ma'me thing again _and she looked down for a moment saying to no one in particular, "I wonder if it's the apron?"

Dean and Sam stepped off the back porch and walked toward the first outbuilding in silence. Nothing but the sounds of their steps crunching the dry earth could be heard. Once out of ear shot from the screen door Dean said to Sam, "Well, there's one weak spot."

"What, they have all those alarms?" Sam said surprised.

"Yeah, but what if the demons cut the power _and if_ they have back up batteries…"

"I'm sure Bobby'd set them up with back ups" Sam replied.

"But those can get drained pretty damned quick by all the freakin' spirit energy that would manifest during an attack" Dean said darkly.

"Soooo, all the fancy high-tech warning alarms were installed to, what, just make Ms Coulter feel safe?" Sam said doubtfully.

"No, I'm sure that they work and serve their purpose, but Sam high tech doesn't cut it when you don't have the power to run it. And in a worst-case scenerio that would leave just the protection Charms and us" Dean said and stopped to look directly at his brother.

Sam paled a little at the realization. Bobby'd recommend them for this guard duty. "If things get that bad, then we're really all they got." He said flatly and huffed an exhale.

Dean raised his eyebrows and nodded. Then he and Sam made there way over to the nearest large out building.

Continued

Please review


	3. Chapter 3 If the Shoe Fits

Chapter 3-If The Shoe Fits

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, Just love 'em. Wish ta hell I worked for Kripke

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The Winchesters approached a large out building its shape and window configuration looked institutional and familiar; it turned out to be the school. It was a single story rectangle brick structure with just a few rooms. Three rooms were classrooms, one was a lab and one was used for storage.

They checked the lab out first. There Dean found the chemicals he needed to make simple sulfur detector test strips. "Here we go," smiled Dean as he held the bottles of chemicals aloft, "We'll have to hang one in every room and teach the kids the rhyme Dad taught us, but strips can be a good back up warning in case we loose power."

As they moved about the lab searching for other useful items Sam thought of the rhyme:

"If the paper stays white it's alright,

If it turns orange-get the hell out."

Puzzled Sam said to Dean, "You know I've been saying that poem all my life and it doesn't even rhyme".

Dean just laughed a little, "Nothing rhymes with 'orange' Sammy, don't think about it, just get the hell out if it turns color" as he cuffed his baby brother's shoulder.

Finding nothing further useful they made their way across the yard toward the next building and passed stacks of building materials for the new dormitory construction. Dean paused in front of a huge pile of iron rebar that was going to be used to reinforce the concrete of the basement. It reminded him of something. Something important that they ran across in the past that was used to bar demon intrusion. _That could come in handy_, he said to himself. They did a quick inventory of lumber and noted that they could barricade the house with the sturdy wood and found paint and brushes for drawing protective signs as well. Then the brothers walked over to the cinder block building that was the infirmary.

They were impressed as soon as they stepped inside. It was a scaled down version of every emergency room they'd ever been to. It had a small pharmacy; a surgery room and four hospital beds equipped with monitors in its efficient layout.

"I'm gonna check out the supplies, see if there's anything we can use to knock out a host if we get visited by a possessed civilian," Dean said as he headed into pharmacy. Sam spoke from the triage area as he slowly turned around taking the room in, "Looks like they could handle most scrapes kids could get themselves into."

"Yeah," Dean answered as he grabbed a couple of small vials from the cabinet and stuffed them in his jacket pocket. "Bobby'd said they were pretty self sufficient but I didn't expect anything like this. Hey, Sam see if you can find me some needles huh?"

"Dean, whadda you plan to do, get close enough to jab one?" Sam joked as he opened drawers and searched for the injection needles.

"I gotta plan for any contingency," Dean replied then added, "Whoooooboy, check this out!" as he spied the tall canister of anesthesia.

Sam paused in his search and raised his eyebrows, "Uh, that's not exactly portable." he said, looking doubtful at Dean as his grinning brother wheeled the large metal bottle into the room.

"Naw, yer right it's a heavy MoFo." Then Dean waggled his brows and said with a grin, "I wonder if it's Nitrous?"

Sam rolled his eyes and, "Death by chuckles?"

Dean shrugged at Sam's dour face. "They'd never know what hit 'em"

"No, they wouldn't...and they wouldn't go down unless you did HIT them with the canister!" Sam huffed.

"Yeah, there's not much here that jumps up and screams demon death," Dean agreed.

"Got 'em!" Sam said as he held up a handful of packaged needles.

Dean held out his hand and stuffed them in the pocket with the sedatives adding, "Ok, lets move out and scout the perimeter."

They walked along the edge of the property noting that every few yards a sigil or protective hex sign was marked on the tree trunks or formed by patterns of rocks pressed into the earth. Small pouches holding warding spells dangled from lower branches and an electrified fence surrounded the whole property.

Dean tossed a small stick at the fence and was awarded by sparks and a whiff of ozone as the smoldering twig bounced back from the force of the voltage.

"Whoa!" Sam said with raised eyebrows as both brothers looked at each other and nodded. Security would not be a problem as long as the electricity held out.

"So I guess we don't have to worry about curious towns folk stumbling in on the place," Dean said as they headed back to the main house.

"It's isolated," Sam agreed. "How long was the dirt road that led up to this place... 'bout a quarter mile?"

"At least." Dean answered. "And no markers or street signs off the high way to indicate the turn off even was a road."

"So, the older the kids get... you think they go to school?" Sam asked.

Dean smiled, it figured his brother would worry about the education and social end of being a kid here, cut off from the every day life most civvies took for granted. "I'm guessing home schooled right through." Dean mused, "Would be too risky to have them mingle, talk, maybe to the wrong people or have buses routinely pick them up, have the location discovered." Dean's heart pinched a little realizing that the kids here would be forever set apart from 'normal' and like Sam and he face their own form of social estrangement as teens and then adults. _All because of friggin demons. They screw you every way they can and once your life is touched by one you are forever changed. _

The thought of time caused Dean to look down at his watch. "Hey it's almost six," He smiled as he slapped Sam on his shoulder, "I gotta get you back to the kitchen to help Ms. Coulter with the meal!"

Sam rolled his eyes again, "Yeah, thanks for that."

"What?" Dean said innocently, "You love that domestic shit; all the cozy warm kitchen action..."

Sam huffed, "Don't think I don't know what you're do'in?"

Dean stopped, looked at his brother and spread his hands open in a 'what me?' gesture.

Sam grinned and shook his head, "I never thought I'd see the day that the great Dean Winchester would use his little brother as bait to get on the good side of a woman!"

"Sam, I'm wounded." Dean said clutching his gut in mock pain. "I just thought that you'd like a little kitchen diversion, a normal few moments of the every day life you always whine about."

Still grinning Sam cuffed him across the shoulder and Dean faked a stumble backwards.

"Jerk," Sam teased, "You know that's not why you want me be Mr. Congeniality."

"Hey," Dean straightened himself, "All I'm say'in is, if you can be helpful making our hostess feel more at ease, like the good PR man that you are, it'll make our job a little easier."

"So do you want me to find out if she likes Metalica while I'm at it?" Sam grinned.

"Bitch." Dean smirked as they approached the back porch to the kitchen.

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Even before they swung the screen door open the heady thick smell of home cooking wafted toward them and nearly had Dean reel. His stomach grumbled its recognition of a good meal about to happen.

When they stepped inside they noted that the kitchen was clear of younger kids and only a few of the oldest were there along with Ms. Coulter.

They walked in and stood a moment to take in the finely ordered routine that the brothers sensed had played out many times before. Tables were being set, one child passed another the heavy dishes as another put them on the table and two others fetched and arranged the cutlery at each setting. All the while each child busied themselves at their tasks there was kidding and giggling and gentle ribbing of one another. It was like watching organized chaos and the vibe the Winchesters got out of the scene was one of "Home" rather than institution. Dean felt his throat tighten a little with longing as he watched.

Sam musta felt it too because he coughed softly to Ms. Coulter's back to announce they'd arrived for duty and she turned from her task of folding the napkins to gaze up at them. Dean's heart was immediately captured by the expression on her face as she looked up into his eyes. She had the shadow of a smile on it and Dean read in that instant the look that women get sometimes, the kind mothers have...contentment, when surrounded by the ones they love, doing the everyday things they do for their family. _She feels this is her family_ he realized_ not her "job"._ And he ducked his head down, embarrassed because he caught her off guard; the moment felt too intimate for him to have witnessed. It was her private happiness he saw, this was her family not his and it made him feel all the more like an outsider to it.

Sam's voice brought his head up, "Where do you want us to start?" he said with a dimpled grin as he rubbed his hands together."

Dean took the cue and smiled pulling his hands out of his pockets and began to unconsciously shift from one leg to the other.

Em looked up to Sam's grin and thought, _'He sooo doesn't want to be here right now! But at least he's trying to appear eager.'_ And looking past Sam at Dean her smile faltered. _Why was he so antsy? 'Awkward?' Mr. Bravado felt awkward?' _And she quirked a brow at Dean's discomfort. _Bobby said they had para military training so maybe a mess hall makes them feel out of place. Well, if military training is what they know then I guess that makes me the General in this arena so it's time to give orders and put them at ease._

"You're not doing anything until you wash your hands first," She smirked. The other kids present giggled softly, even the two impressively tall strangers were no match for Ms. Em! They noted.

"James, could you show the Winchester's the hand soap by the sink and give 'em some towels?" nodding she added, " Thanks." She smiled as she returned to her task and let the boy take over.

Silent Jim came up to Dean and tugged on his coat sleeve to lead the hunter over to the sink. Dean looked back at Sam and raised an eyebrow and Sam grinned as he followed them. While the kids went back to their tasks and the sound of gentle ragging on each other rose back up to normal in the background; Dean took the bottle of hand sanitizer squirted some in his hand and passed it to Sam. As he lathered up his hands Dean stole a quick look over his shoulder at the woman putting napkins around the tables and mouthed silently to Jim "She's tough!" That brought a smile and a big nod of agreement from the boy who left them at the sink to return to setting the table.

Hands washed Sam walked over to Ms. Coulter and smiling he presented his palms as if for inspection as she finished putting the last napkin in place. Dean had strolled over to the stove and lifted the lid off one of the big pots that was emitting a fragrant steam.

Em looked up to Sam and then glanced over to Dean just as his face was engulfed in the steaming aroma of Pot Roast. She marveled at the look of utter bliss that she saw as his eyes closed and a satisfied smile graced his face. She was suddenly very aware of Sam standing there expecting her to say something and she had to duck her head down and cough to recover from the smile she had at the sight of a steam engulfed Dean.

The moment was not lost on Sam who had turned to see what made the soft metallic sound that turned out to be his brother raising the pot lid and when Sam turned back and saw the slight blush upon their hostess's cheek it made him smirk to himself. _'So,_' he thought, '_maybe I won't have to bring up Metalica after all._'

"Ahem," She said loudly over to Dean and Dean looked up, placed the lid quietly back and said, "smells good!" as he sauntered over.

Turning to the oldest girl she said, "Sarah, you can start to bring the other children down now, I'm sure they've washed up."

Dean was suddenly standing right beside her and she thought, '_too close and then thought it suddenly seems warmer in the kitchen now doesn't it?'_ But she cleared her throat and asked,"Dean, could you help carve the post roast into portions for the children?" and then she turned to Sam and asked, " and could you help ladle out the vegetables onto their plates?"

The Winchester men looked at each other and shrugged at the same time saying, "Sure."

Emma smiled, "Thanks, I know it's not part of your job description but we're a little short handed with adults right now and it will make the meal go smoother if the kids get served right away," As she said that her gaze locked back on to Dean's and she was surprised by the honest grin the older brother returned to her, makes_ his face look so much younger when he smiles for real,_ she found herself thinking.

As she just finished up her serving instructions to the men the children started to enter the kitchen and with them the laughter and friendly squabbling filled the room. Each seemed to have a place that was theirs at the tables. With the older children sitting closest to the high chairs so that they could help with the toddlers feeding. After all the seats were filled Em picked up a spoon and dinged the edge of a water glass saying loudly "Everyone?" To get them to settle down. Almost immediately the voices quieted and all eyes were on Ms. Coulter and the two new men.

"I want you to meet two of Bobby's friends who are going to be staying with us for a few days to help out." Dean and Sam stood frozen embarrassed smiles on their faces, they hadn't expected this but Emma looked at them and winked. Then gestured as she introduced them, "This is Sam."

"HI SAM!" the children yelled and soft giggles from the girls twittered as they hid their smiles behind their hands. Sam's grin relaxed and his dimples lengthened as he nodded back.

"And this is Dean."

"HI DEAN!" the chorus of voices responded. Dean beamed back and actually waved too. One of the little toddlers sporting a tiny pink bow in her hair, shouted from her high chair, "DEEEE!" And everyone giggled out loud.

Sam leaned in to his brother and whispered, "You've got a fan." And Dean whispered back "she might be young but she knows a good man when she see's one Sammy." Causing Sam to snort his laughter.

Ms Coulter gestured and said; "Ok, now four at a time please bring your dishes and we'll start serving," and the kitchen began to hum with activity again. Then Emma added just above the din, "Please refrain from eating until after the prayer." Which was answered by soft good-natured groans.

Once the kids were served Ms. Coulter nodded to the end of the longest table at three empty seats and smiled, "Thanks for pitching in, lets serve our selves and have the prayer.... you don't mind do you?" Both boys looked at the wide open eyes of their hostess and thought_, She's real good at getting people to do what she wants no wonder she was impossible to beat in court. _

So they held their plates and shook their heads at the same time. "No... uh..S'fine" "Don't change ceremony on our account." And Dean exchanged an eye roll to Sam who nudged him roughly while Ms. Coulter wasn't looking.

As with breakfast she observed Dean pile his plate enthusiastically while Sam's portions were more moderate. Dean did surprise her by pulling out her chair for her, which she accepted with a grateful nod. Then they sat, she in the center Dean on her right and Sam on the left.

There was a moment of silence once they'd been seated and then Ms. Coulter asked that they all hold hands. She took one of the boy's hands on either side of her and nodded for them to do the same. Sam and Dean watched in fascination as like in a chain reaction the moment they clasped hands with a child next to them the hands began to connect around the tables until all were held and heads were bowed.

Dean's stomach chose that moment to growl as he looked down onto his steaming plate of food and waited for the prayer to begin...and end so he could start eating.

But as he listened to the words his hunger waned.

Ms. Coulters voice rang through the silent kitchen and Dean felt the weight of the words spoken as she said, "Please bless this food we are about to share and please let us give thanks for the watchful care you have bestowed upon us by sending two of your good friend Bobby's hunters to stay with us. And let us all be on our best behavior and be very helpful to them in any way we can......Amen."

And as the whole kitchen repeated 'Ahhhhhmen" Dean shot Sam a look. By Sam's look back they both had the same thought: _Well, that was humbling._

While dinner progressed Sam engaged Ms. Coulter in conversation, as Dean listened in. He heard them talk of college experiences they had in common and favorite topics in law debates and while their voices blended into the background Dean chanced to look quietly around the room.

What he saw made his heart beat a little stronger for the place. The kids really acted like they were one big family, after all he knew they'd been through, what he saw from all the joking and teasing made him realize how connected they were to each other here. And that that was the core of this place's healing.

Then his eyes caught sight of Silent Jim.

The boy was sitting at the smaller kids table keeping the little ones focused on the food. He watched as the smiling boy directed the toddlers constantly changing attention back to their plates by making a game out of eating and had the whole table laughing and most of the food going in their mouths and not on the floor or on their clothes. Dean found himself smiling as he remembered nights alone with Sam and having to resort to the same kinds of games to get his little brother to eat. This kid is all right, he thought. And the more Dean observed the supper the more Dean felt protective of this home.

His attention came back to the conversation as Sam began to gather information about the house. And suddenly he had something he add to the conversation. "So, Ms. Coulter how old would you say the house is?" Dean asked.

Ms. Coulter paused and frowned put down her fork and said to him, "I can't have you keep calling me Ms. Coulter Dean.... and Sam, It's way too formal, my name's Emma. Bobby calls me 'Em', I wish you would too." She added looking into Dean's eyes.

Dean swallowed, his throat felt suddenly very dry and he couldn't hear the sound of the kids all around him anymore he was only aware of two things...the blueness of her eyes and the beating of his own heart.

"So uh Dean?" Sam said barely hiding the smirk in his voice, "How old would you place the house? Uh...Dean?"

Sammy's voice got through the deafening sound of his beating heart and Dean recovered his train of thought...barely. Tearing his eyes off the searching stare of their hostess he locked his onto Sam's and frowned a little at seeing the mirth hiding in there.

"Well, Sam I don't know.... uh, mid 1800's? He looked back to Ms. Coulter with his game smile back in place and said, "Would that be about right, Em?" He lingered on the "m" making it almost sound like 'hmmmmm?' And she looked down smiling at how nice his voice sounded when he said her name like that. But she had a game face of her own and when she raised her head he saw a wise quirk to her brow that said to him_, ' I know what you're doing and now you know I know. So quit it.'_

And Dean blinked. _'Damn, she's good'._ He thought, _'what was I thinking, never try to schmooze a schmoozer.' _

Em sat up straighter and answered, "1855 to be exact, its got it's original root cellar and a more modern one I added a few years ago because we need the storage space. But the core of the house is intact, hardly changed, just the new addition that happened last year, that's the wing your bedroom is in Sam."

Sam had been watching the exchange of looks and was caught off guard when she said his name. "Uh, really?" He recovered, "I couldn't tell."

"Wow, you did a good job blending the two I never would have known that part wasn't original." Dean said offering an honest smile.

"We've been very lucky to have hunters help out who had day jobs as carpenter's" She smiled back. And Dean noted that she had two dimples on either side of her mouth that looked like commas and bracketed her smile like a quote.

Sam was reveling in the unspoken banter he was witnessing between his brother and Em because he sensed this was something new and if he wasn't mistaken he was gonna swear his big brother was actually smitten by her. Two words he never thought he'd use in the same sentence 'Dean' and 'smitten'. Oh sure he'd seen that look on Dean's face when it had to do with cars but it was new to see it there because of a woman. She was some woman though; there was a hum of power just below the surface, a kind of inner strength, sure of herself and easy on the eyes. Sam smiled to himself, as he realized that the same description could be applied to the Impala so of course it made sense that Dean'd fall for her.

He watched, as the two of them were lost in their own world of conversation loosely bound to "work" and glances that lingered longer on each other's faces. When Sam noted the sudden change of his brothers look to one of wariness as the topic of building materials came up and Emma told Dean how most of the stuff was donated by hunters and a lot of the materials used to construct the new wing had come from one of the family's that had lost a relative to one of the demon attacks.

"You wouldn't have remembered the name would you?" Dean asked with serious interest.

"Uh, I think it was Irish sounding," Emma puzzled as she tried to remember, "McKenna or McGantry or.."

"McQuirty?" Dean asked.

"Yes, the couple was just in the process of building their new house when the attack occurred and the family didn't know what to do with the left over building supplies so they donated them here." It was the kindest and saddest thing, but building the wing gave so many children a new place to stay I'm glad they found the strength to do it."

Dean shot Sam a meaningful glance and made a mental note to call Bobby tomorrow to find out if every scrap of material had been blessed before it was sent over.

The McQuirty killings had been nasty and one of the first to happen. The family had chosen to camp out in their unfinished home for the weekend because it was going to be warm weather and this was going to be their first home. They were excited to be new homeowners. The official word was that it had been a gas leak, a freak explosion caused by the main not being properly shut off by the work crew before they left that Friday. There had been no survivors.

It was said that the stench of sulfur hung in the air around the construction site long after the place had been cleared out. And Dean felt an uncomfortable chill run down his spine.

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Dinner finished up and a different set of kids than the ones who set the tables bussed the dirty dishes and placed them in the dishwashers as Emma shouted once again above the din, "Tonight is movie night, everyone that wants to see the original Godzilla please meet in the living room in half and hour. And yes there will be popcorn!" Cheers and excited chatter faded as the rest of the kids went back to their rooms and left the Winchesters and Emma alone in the kitchen for a quiet moment of coffee and the report they'd promised her.

"So, how do we stand...protection wise," Emma asked as she sipped her coffee.

Dean spoke up first, "I gotta tell ya I'm real impressed with the video camera's and the 'lectric fence. We didn't know how much high tech stuff you had installed here and the placements you've got seem to give you good coverage..."

"But..." Emma nodded for them to explain.

And Sam answered, "But my brother, (nodding toward Dean) and I feel that a contingency plan should be worked out to take up the slack incase there ever was a power outage.."

Dean's face wore a mirthless smirk as he added, "And how many demon attacks do you know of where the powers stays intact."

A look of worry crossed her face as realization of their situation dawned on Emma, "So we don't really have any backup?"

Dean spoke hurriedly, "No we didn't say that, you've got a good array of warding spell bags and sigils, and the embedded stone hex signs are great for protection. But under the circumstances we'd like to make up some simple early warning test strips that will react chemically to the presence of Sulfur and place them in every child's room and all the common areas through out the house. We've used them ourselves and know that they work and you already have all the stuff right on the premises to make 'em." We'd also like to re enforce one room, Dean nodded to his brother, like in the cellar that you mentioned, convert it to a shelter where all the kids could go for extra protection in the event the perimeter fails."

Emma had been trying to hold it together but even she could tell her eyes were a little too wide when she asked, "So you think they'll get past the fence and the wards?"

Sam used his reassuring voice on her, "We don't know what's going to happen, probably nothing. Bobby and the men he's picked out to stop them will most likely take care of thing long before..."

Dean interrupted his brother's speech by shifting in his seat and Sam stopped talking. Dean looked Emma directly in her eyes and told her in a voice that promised her he was telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth "We won't let anything happen to you or any child in this place.... you can count on that."

She saw the determination in the set of his jaw and the momentary fierce glint that sparkled in his eyes and she knew in that moment that if this man made a promise like that he was damned sure to keep it and woe be unto any thing that stood in his way to keep that promise.

She found her self exhale and nodded silently.

"So," Dean smiled to lighten the mood. "We can make up the sulfur strips and create the secure room...."

"You mean 'panic room' don't you" Emma questioned.

Sam gave Dean a look that said _remember who you're talking too._

And Dean adjusted his sitting position to brace for the verbal 'head butt' he was about to receive, "I prefer to think of it as a secure room because the last thing you want should things go south is a panic."

Emma then smirked. "OK, Mr. Semantics" Sam barked out a laugh and was instantly shot the _'not helping'_ glare by Dean.

Emma continued, "So this 'secure room' is going to be where in the cellar?"

Dean exhaled a huff of laughter himself the continued to explain, "I'm hoping to use the older part of the cellar to create the room. The original house has no bad history and if we can make an impenetrable shield of our own hex signs and iron I don't think anything can cross its threshold and it would be good to have a place to park the kids outta harms way while we do our work."

Suddenly Emma saw it for what it was...a last stand if all else fails. And the Winchesters would be putting their lives on the line out side its protection if things really got that bad. And the damned thing was by the looks on both their faces they weren't even flinching at the thought of being a human shield for them. And looking at Dean's impassive determination she thought again, how_ does one become so brave...so very brave...in less than half a lifetime?_

To be continued

Please review


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4-If The Shoe Fits

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, just love 'em. Wish ta hell I worked for Kripke.

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Emma excused her self to oversee that movie night set up was orderly and on time and the boys had a chance to talk strategy.

"I know one thing I'm gonna do first," Dean said to Sam as he flipped open his phone deciding not to wait another day.

Sam nodded, "Call Bobby?"

"Yeah, and find out if he knew about the addition being made up from the McQuirty building materials" Dean said as the phone rang.

"Dean?" Bobby asked. "Are you and Sam alright?"

"We're fine," Dean smiled, "All is quiet here."

"Hey Bobby!" Sam shouted grinning.

"Well, I guess Em hasn't torn into you two yet so you musta hit it off well" Bobby answered and Dean could hear the smile in the older mans' voice.

"We've been nothing but perfect gentleman since you left," Dean smirked nodding to his brother.

Sam grabbed the phone and leaned in adding, "She's not as scary as you made her out to be, man."

"Yeah, Em's a special kinda gal" Bobby said.

And Dean added softly "She is that."

Bobby alerted to his tone and snapped "You be on your best behavior boy, she's no truck stop floozey, she's got important work to do with them kids and if I hear..."

Dean straightened up in his chair defensively waved his arms answering, "Whoa, Bobby I'd never, I mean we're on a job and she's, she's...."

Sam quickly added, "SO far out of his league!"

Bobby barked out a laugh and Dean glared at his brother.

"Look I called for a reason," Dean scowled at the phone while Sam stifled his chuckling.

"Did you know that some of the building materials used to put up the addition Sam's sleeping in came from the site of one of the first demon attacks?"

And Sam quit smiling. Even though they were on a job to protect dozens of kids his brother's first thought was to keep him safe.

"Why no," Concern replaced the mirth in Bobby's tone, " has there been any activity?"

"Not that I know of...yet" Dean said, "do you think that it might make a difference during an attack, leave a kind of opening for...demonic influence or a bridge to gain entry to the house?"

Bobby paused before he answered. "Any kind of demonic taint could act like a bridge and leave an opening for evil to enter," he said soberly. "You better get a priest over there ASAP and bless the house just to be on the safe side. In the mean time see if you can put together those homemade test strips your Dad used."

"We're on it," Dean said.

"Hey, Bobby..." said Sam, "You..uh..be careful out there...ok?"

They could both hear Bobby huff on his end of the line and he answered Sam by saying, "That I'll do...and you keep an eye on your idjit brother and make sure he don't pull any of his truck stop moves on Miss Em!"

"Hey!" said Dean and Sam just smirked as the man who was like their second dad hung up.

Dean looked at Sam and said, "So, you wanna switch rooms?"

Sam frowned, miffed that while he was four inches taller and he thought in better shape than Dean, his older brother still treated him like he was four. "No, I'll be fine...and we're here to protect the kids...remember?" He crossed his arms and pursed his lips in the patented Sam Winchester bitch face.

_Roger that,_ thought Dean and knew from experience it was not worth fighting against Sam's stubborn nature. His younger brother was more than capable of handling himself in situations but the ebb and flow of their teamwork began and ended with him watching out for Sam. "I'll take first watch then," Dean countered.

"I said I'll be fine" Sam repeated.

Dean teased, "I don't know", as he eased out of his chair, "after watching Godzilla for the first time Sammy you might find it hard to sleep." and jumped out of range of Sam's lunge in one smooth move.

A mischievous smile spread across Dean's face as he exited fast into the living room just ahead of the long determined strides he could hear behind him, so he couldn't stop in time to prevent running into Emma as she suddenly stepped around the corner right into his path.

"OH!" she said as first one then the other Winchester plowed her into.

Dean put his arms out instinctively to catch her and wound up crushing her against his chest as Sam's forward momentum crushed them both into the wall.

"Uh, sorry Ms Em, I mean Emma" Sam stuttered as he pried himself away from Dean's back.

Dean's arms were braced around her so that his own body would take the brunt of the blow; her face was pressed next to his and as he pulled back to assess her he noted her eyes grow from startled to widen into amorous depths that matched his own.

"I hope you're alright," he said in a low soft tone not moving from the protective embrace. Seconds passed while she stared into his eyes before she swallowed and then made to move. He instantly stepped back pulling her away from the wall as he did so.

They stood apart and he looked down to the floor, rubbed the back of his neck saying, "We...uh...wanted to ask you something" He glanced up at Sam. (Little help here!)

"Uh, yeah" Sam added nodding.

"Well, it must have been _real important_ for you to need to run into me like that." Emma smirked at them. And then she got serious, "Should I be nervous?"

"Oh, no!" Sam jumped in. "It's just about calling in a priest. If you know one, locally... that can stop by soon."

Dean saw her brows begin to raise in fear and quickly added, "It's just a precaution. We'd like to have a blessing done on the house as another means of added protection and the sooner the better." He wanted to rest his hand on her shoulder and let her know it would be alright but suddenly was aware that he wasn't sure he could trust himself to keep from turning the gesture into a full embrace and he stepped ever slightly further back to put some more distance between them.

She noticed, and he saw her face change from one of wariness to turn to fear as she unconsciously hugged herself while she thought of whom to call.

"Em?" he said softly.

She looked up at the two of them and it was as if she regained her stance. She dropped her arms down to her sides and said, "Padre Terkleson, he's an Episcopal minister and the closest, he's friends to the hunting community too, I'll give him a call right now and she turned on her heel and left. Dean watched her go and noted that she straightened her back and did a shoulder roll while she moved away from them, almost like a fighter loosens up before a match and thought he'd never seen such inner strength come off a civilian before.

A muffled snicker from Sam snapped Dean's head back, "What?"

"She likes you" Sam grinned.

Dean scoffed, "Does not...come on Sasquatch," and he smacked the back of his hand against Sam's chest. "Lets go back to the lab and make sulfur detectors" and they both headed back out to the school building to create protection for the kids.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

After Bobby hung up from the Winchesters he got a call from one of the men he was driving to meet at the rendezvous point.

"Hank?" Bobby replied after viewing caller ID.

"Bobby, we just got more signs that the group coming in is gonna be big, real big" said a steady but worried voice on the other end. "Big enough for you to make a few more phone calls and come in with reinforcements" was the flat statement.

Bobby paused before he answered, _when things go bad they go bad in a hurry_, "There aren't many more I can contact that can reach us in time." He told Hank, it wasn't good news but it was the truth.

"Well, scare up who you can it looks like we've got less than twelve hours before the first wave hits and we want to have enough men standing to do something when the second one comes." The voice of his friend sounded full of tired resignation. And for a moment Bobby wondered whom he'd find left when he arrived.

"I think I can get Jenkins, Rolly and Bill to get there fast enough." He answered wishing it were more.

"Good, good... they're good men." Hank answered. The weariness now more evident in his voice.

"Don't finish this party before I can git there" Bobby smiled grimly it was the closest thing he could think of to say that meant 'be careful' to his friend.

"Oh, I'm sure there'll be some cake left for you and the boys when you arrive" which was code that meant come in guns blazing and don't stop to do a head count on the wounded till the dust clears.

"Make sure there is"

Hank paused but didn't speak then Bobby heard, "You're good people Singer." And he hung up.

Bobby sighed. He had three calls to make to men that had families and hadn't been his first choice because of that. He dialed the first number. "Rolly? Singer here. Remember when I said there was big do'ins coming up and I was going out there to lend a hand? Well, we could sure use your help."

To be continued

Please review


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5- If The Shoe Fits

Don't own 'em, just love 'em. Wished ta hell I worked for Kripke

* * *

The Winchesters walked at a fast pace back to the school and Dean said, "I don't like it Sammy."

"Don't like what? Sam asked as they entered the school and made their way to the Lab.

"I don't like how some of the house may be a portal for evil to leak in and how far out we are from anywhere." Dean answered as he hurriedly gathered the ingredients and began to mix the compounds together in a large beaker. "On the one hand it's a good location to keep these kids low on the radar but..."

Sam found the litmus paper and holding each strip with tongs began to dip them into the liquid and set them across a drying rack to cure. "But, if this place comes under attack the isolation is gonna work against us." The brothers exchanged meaningful looks.

Then Dean glanced around and gave Sam a pat on the shoulder indicating he'd be right back and he left Sam to finish the dipping. He went into the class rooms and gathered push pins to affix the sulfur detecting strips onto the walls of the kids rooms and in all the common rooms they gathered in.

By the time he got back Sam had all the strips laid out on the rack and was holding a small heat blower on them to make them dry faster.

Dean took one of the strips and brought it along with a bottle of sulfur into he other room. Pinning the strip to the wall he unscrewed the cap off the sulfur bottle and passed the opened bottle back and forth around the little detector. Immediately it began to turn from pale yellow to bright orange. It worked!

"How you coming on those strips Sam?" Dean yelled.

"Almost done. Did it work?"

"Perfectly, turned as orange as a Cheeto. The kids will be able to tell real good if there is even a hint of sulfur present."

_Great_ thought Sam grimly, _let's add to the list of things they can have nightmares about_; but he also sadly knew that they were better off being forewarned than blindly innocent in the path of danger.

Dean entered the room and said, "Lets get these on the walls everywhere we have to and then we can do a little demonstration before the movie." Let the kids become familiar with what it looks like and go over the drill of what to do if they notice one turned. They gathered up the protection devices and headed back to the house.

* * *

When they entered the kitchen the overwhelming smell of popcorn and the sound of children's laughter assailed their senses. Dean saw Emma surrounded by a group of excited giggling kids. She was smiling and joking as she handed out bowls of popcorn to them and watched as they whisked out of the kitchen nearly bumping into the other kids coming in for their share.

Sam, stood behind him and took in the scene, he glanced toward Dean for his nod to approach their hostess when he saw Dean sigh and watched his brothers shoulders drop, then Dean turned to him and nodded. And he understood that his brother hated bringing this reality into their already torn lives as much as he did.

"Emma." Dean said. When she turned her smiling face to him he felt a returning smile instantly tug upon his own. "Sam and I made a bunch of detectors that I'd like to put up in every kids room. And any place in the house where they hang out so there will be one visible to anyone in the room."

Her smile faltered. And inwardly he cursed himself for having been the one to do that, to chase that pretty smile of hers away. But she tipped her chin up. And spoke to the child in front of her and told them leave for now and close the door while she made more popcorn and talked to the men. As the kitchen door closed she turned and looked Dean directly in the eyes and asked, " What do they do?"

Her questioning but trusting gaze had Dean lost for words for a moment as he drowned in those deep blue pools.

_One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi_..... counted Sam in his head.

"Uh, ahem," Sam spoke up to answer, "They are a simple strip of Litmus paper that has been dipped in a solution which turns orange in the presence of sulfur."

Dean inhaled and added, "We want to have back up that is easily recognizable by the kids and will tell them to leave the area pronto as soon they see it's changed color.

Emma frowned. She did not want a mass panic on her hands. "We need to establish a safety protocol, like a fire drill. Train them to meet at a special place or tell an adult if they see a strip has changed." She quickly glanced back up at Dean and he could see her eyes begin to brim with tears then she tightened her jaw to stay strong, she was fierce but... "I... don't... want them... to feel afraid" she bit out as her chin quivered.

And in one step forward he had her in his arms. "I won't let anything happen to them Em, I promise." He said softly to her and she didn't protest the embrace. He felt her give him a hug back and then pull gently away. And with his hands still on her arms he smiled tilting his head to one side and said, " They'll feel better once they know they have something concrete to look at that tells them they're safe. Trust me, Sammy and I grew up with them, it just gives you that added sense of security like turning the lock on the door before you go to bed."

"And with the right training, it's an effective tool against the kind of panic you want to avoid." Added Sam.

Emma reached over and touched Sam on the arm saying, "Thank-you, Thank-you both" And Sam couldn't help but smile and blush a little at her genuine gratitude.

"So, what time's the movie?" Dean asked.

"Well, as soon as I finish making up the second batch of popcorn," Emma said and brushing a tear aside she laughed a little, "they usually eat the first before the movie starts."

"Ok, how about this, what do you say to Sammy and I giving a little demonstration after the movie?"

"I...uh..." Emma paused and Dean thought _uh oh there's that frown again._

Sam clasped his hand on Dean's shoulder and smiling said to her, "I won't let him frighten the children."

"Hey!" Dean protested, "I'd never..."

She had to snicker. These were her protectors, the ones that stood between her most precious charges and unthinkable evil and they were not superhuman, they were so very very human themselves.

Then she spoke, "But we haven't even got an escape route or safe meeting place established yet, who do they run to if they see a color change, what do we do to act safely if it does?"

"Hmmmm," Dean pondered, "I was planning on creating that safe room down stairs, we could run a drill were they all meet there?"

"Yeah," Sam enthused, "We should have them pair up, like a buddy system so if they need to go to the safe room each child knows he has to find his buddy and make sure that they both get there as soon as possible."

Emma agreed, "That would make rounding them all up much faster if they had the responsibility to look out for each other." And she added, "It would give them the sense of ownership to their own safety and that would reduce the panic." She nodded her head firmly saying, "I like it."

Then Emma frowned again, "But where exactly do you put the detectors?"

"Well, I usually put them on the wall near the TV, that way since our eyes would most likely be glued to the set it would be in our line of sight and we'd know as soon as it changed it was time to...uh leave." Dean answered.

"Huh," Sam said, " I thought it had to be put there because the heat of the television kept it drier-more receptive."

Dean smirked, "Nope, I just knew that you'd be watching cartoons from the time dad left till the time he came back, so it was the best place to keep it in plain sight for both of us."

It was Sam's turn to frown and that made Dean smirk and nod his chin up at him once.

"Well, we don't have TV's in every room," Emma puzzled, "we just have the one downstairs and in the rec room."

"How 'bout night lights?" Dean asked.

Emma's eyes brightened, "Yes!" Every child's room has a night light in it."

"Good," Sam said, "then we'll put them there, it will be better to see if the color changes too" he added.

"No," Dean said. "We should let the kids pin the strips by the night light themselves. It will give them empowerment in their own safety."

Emma just looked at him, then a slow smile spread to the side of her mouth.

"What?" said Dean.

"Empowerment?" She asked.

"I've seen Oprah." Dean smirked back.

Emma's smile grew as she turned back to her popcorn making and the boys left the room to work out the details of the demonstration

As they left Sam whispered to Dean, "Dude, I can't believe you showing off in front of Ms. Em."

"I did not," Dean insisted. "I was merely instilling confidence in the client that we were well versed in child psychology."

"Yeah, since when?" Sam replied.

"Since I had you convinced the strip had to be placed near the TV to keep it dry."

And Sam huffed as Dean moved ahead of him toward the cellar the stairs.

* * *

When they got down the stairs they were surprised to see how orderly the cellar was. To their left stretched the new section and it seemed to store nothing but larger boxes. They were neatly stacked and marked with the names of the children whose possessions they contained. Along the wall of the original cellar were bike racks and there seemed to be a bike of every size being held by them. Taking a right and heading behind the stairs led to the original root cellar under the kitchen. It had been expanded from its original crawl space to a full cellar and contained stuff you'd expect to see a handy man use.

Dean walked over to the workbench and studied the orderly tools on the wall until his eyes popped wide when he spied the welding torch and canister of gas.

"Would you lookit this?" he said to Sam.

Sam walked up to the bench and reached out to brush his fingers gently over the tools displayed on the wall in a reverent gesture. "They sure have everything they need to be self sufficient if they have to." he said.

"No, this!" Dean was grinning at the welding torch. "I saw some rebar by the building supplies for the dormitory they planned to build this summer. We can use it to create iron devils locks and make this area the secure panic room."

Sam's smile widened, "That would work!"

"You bet it would, remember how the demons couldn't cross the railroad lines that surrounded the devils gate? It would be the same principle, we could create a scaled down version of that to surround the safe room."

"Yeah," Sam said as he eyed the spacious area, "This would be large enough to hold all of them with out feeling cramped."

"We could even build hanging bunks along the walls so some could sleep in shifts, and move in that small fridge from the infirmary down here to store food." Dean beamed back at him slapping his shoulder, "Looks like we get to play construction workers tomorrow."

As they walked back up the stairs from the dimness of the cellar Dean chanced a look back at the stacks of boxes holding all of the memories each child had from their former lives before demons came into them and he wondered what kind of memories, if they survived, would they have from this new threat of evil. At that moment he resolved to make it a turning point for them, a stand for every little soul he was charged to protect that no more irreparable damage would effect them from this again.

* * *

By the time Dean and Sam headed into the large family room the movie had already started and the room was dim. The air was redolent with the smell of popcorn and every where Dean looked in the flickering light of the movie the sight made him smile.

Kids of all ages dressed in PJ's and robes were sitting or laying on pillows giggling and laughing. Emma was on a big couch surrounded by the younger children and she waved them over to sit down. Silent Jim was sitting by it on the pillow strewn floor. And he looked up at Dean expectantly. Dean looked between Emma and the hopeful face of the boy and she smiled and nodded. 'Go ahead' Dean nudged Sam and she watched James usually sober face light up as they carefully stepped between pillows and wriggling bodies to both sit down in front of the couch by the boy. She waited for them to settle and passed Sam a big bowl of popcorn. Sam took the bowl hesitantly and nodded his thanks then eased himself down resting his back against the couch. As soon as he got the bowl in his lap his brother grinned from beside him and grabbed a handful. James smiled wide and Sam had to laugh.

When Godzilla reared up upon the screen little squeals of mock fright filled the air quickly followed by hurried "Shhhhhhhh!" from the older children and an occasional volley of popcorn.

The little girl sitting on the couch behind Sam was almost completely covered in a blanket and warily peered out at the monster. When Tokyo began to be destroyed she dove under for cover accidentally bumping into Sam's arm and almost spilling their popcorn. Both Dean and Sam swiveled their heads to see a quivering mound of blanket behind them and Emma's concerned frown.

Dean turned and said to Sam in a loud stage whisper, "Don't get scared just coz you see someone else is Sammy, I know this is the first time you've seen this movie and I don't want you to have nightmares..."

Sam rolled his eyes, "Dean..."

"I mean it Sammy, just cover your eyes with something, something like a blanket...if only we knew someone who had one of those special protection blankets they could share...someone real close..."

The mound of blanket stopped shivering.

Dean looked at Sam and winked. "Yeah, sharing a corner of a magic protection blanket would be just the trick to make you less scared right now."

The blanket mound shifted and a little face peaked out from underneath it.

"There you are!" Dean said to her.

Wide innocent dark eyes stared back at Dean... and blinked.

Dean smiled at her and she shyly smiled back. "Hey!" said Dean and he leaned in close to the face under the blanket; "could you help my brother out?" He said in his most soft and soothing voice, "See, this is the first time he's seen this movie and he gets a little...nervous...when the big monster shows up."

The little head nodded solemnly and then ducked back underneath. The mound shifted around some more and then a tiny pudgy hand poked out holding the corner of the blanket toward Sam.

Sam looked down at it and puzzled back at Dean.

"Well you gotta take it." Dean grinned.

Sam mouthed "Fine." And swiveled himself sideways to the couch so he could hold on the tiny corner.

"Feelin any braver?" Dean smirked.

Sam pressed his lips tighter and answered, "A little."

"Well, a little is not enough. You know the more of the protection blanket you feel the braver you get AND the braver the person gets that shares it." Dean posed.

The little head poked out again.

"You ready to feel brave?" Dean asked.

The girl nodded.

"Well let him have more!" And Dean gestured with his arms to throw it.

A mischievous grin spread across the little girls face as she got up from the couch and tossed a huge length of the blanket over Sam's head. And it covered the sitting man completely.

Dean addressed the blanket sitting next to him, "Feeling better?"

"Perfect" the blanket covered man answered curtly.

"So, blanket man, since you don't have a mouth anymore can I have some more popcorn?"

The blanket shifted and the bowl of popcorn magically appeared. Dean looked at the little girl with mock excitement and said to her, "Ohhhh! Blanket popcorn! That's the best kind... want some?"

She giggled and held out her little hand. Dean said to the tall mound, "Hey, Sammy quit hoggin' all the blanket and share some will ya?"

Sam pulled off the blanket to reveal massively tousled hair filled with static electricity and sticking out all over and that's when James laughed.

Dean let out a guffah himself and clapped Sam on the shoulder, "See I knew you'd be good with kids" and got a fistful of popcorn in his face.

The little girl's peels of laughter got louder and Sam grinned at her saying, "that's pretty funny too huh?" And she held on to her belly and flopped on her back on the couch laughing in great gasps joined by the beautiful sound of silent Jims giggles.

Dean grinned at his brother and said, "Hear that Sammy? –That right there is the best sound in the world." And he popped a handful of popcorn in his mouth.

Sam looked over at their hostess who had watched the whole thing and noted her bright brimmed eyes were focused on the laughing little boy and the man who sat beside him. And there was an unmistakable look in those mirth filled eyes that were holding back tears of joy. Sam quickly looked away and nodded to himself, Dean was right, the sound of children's laughter all around them was the best sound he'd heard in a long, long time.

To be continued...

Please review


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 –If The Shoe Fits

Chapter 6- If The Shoe Fits

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, just love 'em. Wish ta hell I worked for Kripke

wWw

Raymond Burr was giving his monologue in the last part of Godzilla amid cheers and volleys of popcorn when Emma stood up and announced that Sam and Dean had some important information to tell everyone and could they all settle down for a moment and listen.

The children murmured speculation amongst themselves as Sam and Dean carefully picked their way amongst them but as soon as the Winchesters stood in front of the screen the kids broke out in cheers and applause.

Dean looked at his brother with wide eyes raised eyebrows. Sam grinned back at him then raised his hand and lowered it slowly to quiet the crowd's volume.

Seeing the effect Sam's hand signal had had on the kid's noise level Dean got a mischievous look on his face and raised his own hand up like an orchestra leader and the kids cheers became louder. Sam frowned and pursed his lips in disapproval. Which only made Dean smirk back as he lowered his hand dramatically to hear the kids get quieter and quieter. And just when they had almost settled down he shot his hand up again and the kids giggled and cheered even louder. He looked over to Sam and received a dour expression in return so Dean shrugged his shoulders and lowered his hand once more to quiet the room saying, "just checking the volume control." And the little girl with the pink bow in her hair shouted, "DEEE!" Which caused Dean to lean back and bark out a hoot of laughter as he gestured to his little fan. And that broke Sam up enough to ask Dean in mock disapproval, "Are you done?"

"I'm good," Dean replied and turned to the audience and asked, "Kids, are you good?"

"YEAHHHH!! They all yelled.

Dean turned back to Sam, nodded stating, "They're good."

Sam shook his head.

Dean then gestured back to the kids and said to Sam, "Show them whatchu got."

And the younger Winchester reached into his jeans pocket and brought out one of the sulfur detectors and held it up.

Dean announced, "Now you see... that there is what we in the business call an Acme Monster Detector."

The children whispered tones of oooo's and ahhhh's as Sam held the tiny strip of litmus paper aloft.

Dean continued, "These can tell you when Godzilla or any other big bad is trying to get too close by turning bright orange. And once you see that color change you just have to get to the safe room as fast as possible and you can get away scott free!"

An older girl in the back raised her hand and said, "But we don't have a safe room." There was an uneasy shift in the mood of the crowd.

But Dean said brightly, "As of tomorrow you will. It will be like a super secret club house that only you kids can go to and Sam an' I are gonna build it for you down in the cellar."

The kid's eyes went wide.

"You can have sleep overs and there will be a mini fridge for storing snacks and drinks and all kinds of cool designs on the walls to keep it like a fortress from evil" Dean added.

"COOOLL!!!!" The children said at once.

The older Winchester was grinning so broadly his cheeks were beginning to hurt and he realized he hadn't had this much fun in years, not since Sam was a little boy.

Sam noticed too as he looked over at his brother and saw the genuine happiness there and thought to himself that he hadn't seen that wide a smile on Dean's face since he was little and it made him look like he did when they both were young.

After a moment Dean put on a sober face and said to his brother, "I think we should swear them in Sam."

"Huh?" said Sam puzzled.

Dean coughed and said in a loud stage whisper to his brother, "Swear the older ones in as assistant Monster Busters and pair them up with a junior Monster Buster partner and give them each a detector to put by their night lights." Then added in a louder voice, "Whaddaya think, think they can handle that?"

The younger Winchester knew the role he was supposed to play in this, they had interrogated enough witnesses over the years to make their team work of 'good cop/bad cop' seamless so Sam put on a thoughtful look, raised his hand up to his chin and stroked it dramatically and started to say, "Gee, I dunno..." But he was drowned out by shouts of "We can do it! And pick me! Pick me!"

Dean closed the deal by putting both hands up in surrender saying, "All right then." Then he turned toward Emma and said, "Em, you know the ages better than Sam and me and who rooms with who so could you have them stand up in their room groups for the ceremony?"

For a minute she just stood there captivated with the performance the Winchesters were putting on then Dean winked at her and she got it and stepped up to play her role in assigning the buddy system they had planned.

When the children had been grouped together by their bedrooms, the Winchesters passed out a detector to the oldest child in each group, saving the extras for the common rooms. Once each room leader had a detector and the buddies had been paired up Dean began the ceremony.

"Ok, listen up" Dean said in a serious voice, " Sammy and I and Ms...uh...Emma here are your team leaders. If any of you ever see the color change on any of these detectors to a bright orange you go get your junior partner and book it to one of us and tell us, you hear? Then go down to the safe room. Assistant Monster Busters put your right hand over your heart, Junior Monster Busters you put your right hand over your hearts," Dean put his hand over his heart and nodded to Sam to do the same saying, " Now repeat after me...I solemnly swear..."

Sam spoke along with the kids and repeated, "I solemnly swear..."

"To tell my team leader if the color changes"

" to tell my team leader if the color changes"

"And to go to the safe room pronto"

"and to go to the safe room pronto"

Then Dean added in a conspiratol voice, "And here's the secret words to help you remember: 'If the paper stays white it's alright, if it turns orange get the (Sam shot him a warning look) he..heck out" Dean amended.

Sam pressed his lips together in a tight line to avoid laughing at his brother quick censorship and nodded. 'ok'

One of the little boys raised his hand and asked, "What color orange?"

The older Winchester blinked and looked at a loss for words, " Well, you know...Orange... like a Cheeto."

Sam said, "let's do a demonstration right here." And he pinned the test strip up on the wall beside the TV then pulled the sulfur bottle out and unscrewed the cap. James was standing next to him when the smell wafted over the strip and he froze. Dean saw the look of fear on the boys face and he moved over and the knelt down before him so that he was eye level with the boy, "Watch" he said pointing up to the strip.

The strip turned a bright Cheeto orange. And the children gasped "Oooooooo!"

Dean squeezed the boy's shoulder and said softly to him, "You don't ever have to be afraid of a big bad that smells like that sneaking up on you again. Now you can git yourself safe and save someone else too by going down to the safe room as fast as you can." The boy's look of fear changed to a small smile and Dean looked upon him with pride saying, "You got the upper hand now Jim. And you got us to watch your back." And that made Jim's smile a little firmer.

As the other children crowded in to look more closely at the strip Emma seemed to suddenly appear beside Dean and said, "Shouldn't we have the children put the detectors in their rooms now?"

Kneeling like he was Dean was very aware of exactly how close Emma was standing to him, "Uh, right yes, that's a great idea" he said looking up at her, past the curve of her hips and the roundness of her breasts and as he stood he focused on halting the thoughts that momentarily blindsided him.

"Ok then," chimed in Sam and nudged Dean's shoulder to help him...uh...regroup.

Dean glared back with a look that seemed to say 'I'm getting to it, give me a minute' then he announced " lets break up into three groups, we'll all put the detectors in the rooms and we can see which one of our teams is the fastest!"

"YEEAAH!" shouted the kids.

The adult team leaders could barely keep up with the race up the stairs as the kids made a dash for their bedrooms with the detectors. One group split off down the hall of the new addition that Sam's room was in, another buzzed into several rooms along the corridor where Dean's was located and a third flew into the rooms at the head of the stairs on either side of Emma's. With only minor squabbling about height and placement all three groups managed to get theirs located by the nightlights in record time.

During the commotion Dean felt his left pant leg get tugged and looked down to see the little girl with the pink bow in her hair hanging on to the denim with one tiny fist. She held up a detector in the direction of the hall bathroom nearest his room and said, "put hee'. He smiled and let her tug him to the door as she pointed again at the wall light by the sink. When he stuck it by the nightlight next to the outlet she clapped her pudgy hands in glee. Then she lifted up her arms in the air and said to him, "Up!" When he bent down to lift her up she let out a little yip as the tender skin on her delicate arms accidentally brushed against his rough days growth of stubble. He silently cursed himself for not being more careful so he shifted the little girl over till she was cradled on his hip and he examined the pale skin of her little arm, "You ok darlin'?" he asked seeing a tiny raised wheel where his abrasive chin had brushed against her. She pushed her flat palm against his face and stuck out her tongue making a raspberry noise at him then giggled.

"Oh, its like that is it?" he smirked and gently poked her under one arm at a favorite tickle spot he knew had been on Sam.

Emma came around the corner just in time to see Dean holding the little girl expertly on one hip engrossed in gentle play. The girl giggle shrieked and reached out to grab his nose but he dodged her grasp like he'd had plenty of practice. Then Ms Coulter watched as he pursed his lips into his own raspberry sounds much to the child's delight.

Grinning, Em came up and said, "Ahem...I hate to break you two up but the rest of us are ready to see where the safe room will be." The warm delight he saw in her eyes caught him off guard and he stammered, "Oh, I was just..." As he realized she'd probably been standing there watching for a while and he felt a pang of guilt that he was caught momentarily enjoying this simple pleasure of domestic life in the middle of their monster drill.

Emma smiled back at him and held out her arms so Dean could pass the little girl over to her embrace. She noted the moment of reluctance in Dean's face before he let go and when the child started to whine and squirm Dean bent down and gave her nose a quick kiss to which she shouted "Deeee!" then she popped her thumb into her mouth and settled into Emma's grasp quietly.

Emma smirked at him as they walked down the hall, "You have this effect on most women?" she teased.

Dean rolled his shoulders back, now _this_ (flirting) was familiar territory for him, "well, most of them don't suck their thumbs after but generally speaking –yes" he winked.

"I see," Emma smiled a knowing smile and Dean felt the skin under his collar get warm as he walked beside her. He studied her face and couldn't believe how long her lashes were or how her smile plumped up her cheeks like that and they had that rosy bloom of pink that set off her blue eyes, sparkling...blue...eyes. And he noticed that his own cheeks kinda felt tight like they'd been in a grin for way longer than normal...but he didn't care coz she was right there beside him and he was finding out he could look into those blue eyes forever...real easy.

Sam suddenly appeared at the head of the stairs and said, "You ready?"

"Oh!" Emma said.

"SAM..." Dean warned.

"What?" Sam asked but as he looked between the two blushing faces his lips slowly formed a crooked grin.

Emma brushed past the brothers saying, "I'll meet you in the family room." And Dean watched her descend down the stairs with the little girl nestled comfortably in her arms. He turned to see Sam's grin still stuck in place and shot him a look as he moved to follow her but not before Sam caught his eye and mouthed " you are so busted!"

Dean rolled his eyes and said over his shoulder "great timing Sammy."

Sam clumped noisily behind him and teased, "Remember what Bobby said about Ms Em."

"I'm bein' professional" Dean retorted.

"Oh, that was a professional blush I saw back there." Sam grinned.

"Leave it," Dean warned.

"_Busted._" Sam whispered behind Dean's back as they came in to the family room again and Dean had to reel in his last comment as he saw they were met with sea of eager young faces.

"Uh," He began with a smile that found it's way to Emma's eyes as she stood in the rear of the group. "That got done so fast that I think everybody finished about the same time! Whaddya think Sam?"

"I ..."

Dean gave him a look that begged "agree with me bitch" and Sam grinned a deep dimpled smile, nodded and said, "Yup, practically a photo finish."

"Ok, then lets all go down and see the 'before' where the new safe room will be." And the mob of children scampered down the cellar stairs and into the area. When Sam and Dean and Emma made their way into the room it looked a lot smaller with all the kids bodies taking up the space and milling around and the adults looked at each other doubtfully.

Dean saw Emma's frown again and said to her, "You gotta remember any stay in here is short term, for emergencies only."

Sam added, "Yeah and we're gonna build some bunks along the walls so that some of them will be able to sleep in shifts so they won't all be up at the same time...uh taking up...space...like this."

She gave Sam a feeble grin and Dean scowled at his brother. Then his face softened as he spoke to her fears, "Ok, its gonna be tight. But it will be secure and it will only be for little while. We'll make sure there will be provisions and places to sleep and it will be bearable." He smiled as he said that and watched as the worry on her face eased into a smile of her own.

She reached out and squeezed his upper arm wanting to believe that and found herself noting instead how firm and strong he was. This time she didn't care about the blush she felt begin to rise and said with all truthfulness, "I'm sure you'll make it safe."

He felt his heart warm at the confidence he saw in her eyes. And suddenly realized that her touch had spread that warmth from his arm to all throughout his body. He'd never wanted to protect any woman like he wanted to protect her, he'd never wanted to preserve the sanctity of a dwelling or be as glad to feel the weight of responsibility for all the little souls within its walls as he did now, and inwardly he vowed that he would keep them safe with every last bit of strength he had.

Sam had watched the silent exchange of expressions that passed across his brother's and Ms. Em's faces and he knew that look. It was the exact look he'd seen on Jess's face and remembered that he wore the same one on his own. 'Huh, so it finally happened,' he thought as he shook his head, 'the big "L" finally found my big brother." And he smiled to himself; it made sense in a kind of odd Winchester way. Dean never did anything by halves and it made sense that the guy he always knew would make the best dad ever would end up with a home full of kids to watch over and it also made sense that the kind of woman he wound up with would be as strong and loving as he imagined their mom musta been. But true to Winchester luck the timing couldn't be worse...

wWw

Emma thanked Dean and Sam for all they were going to do and then after getting the children's attention once more told them it was time to get ready for bed. There were a few groans and pleads to stay up longer but she put her foot down and used her lawyers voice, "Now I know all of you are eager to be of help to the Winchesters tomorrow if they need you to be, but you can't be the help they'll need if you're too sleepy, so to bed...all of you!" the kids knew well when there was no room for negotiation and they filed out of the space giggling and ragging on one another as siblings do.

As she turned to follow the last ones upstairs Dean asked, 'When's breakfast?"

She smiled and said brightly, " seven a.m...but...for those who want to help...six." Dean's smile almost faltered at the early hour but he recovered it and told her, "me and Sam are going to take turns doing the watch tonight, I've got the first shift so I'll be there at six to uh...help if you want...I don't know how awake I'll be..." Sam clapped his brother on the shoulder and jeered, "As long as you don't let him handle any sharp objects before he's had his coffee I'm sure he'll be safe to be around at that hour.... might even be helpful." Dean smirked at him and replied with, " I know how much you need your beauty sleep Sammy so you just rest easy until I send your tray up for you." Emma smiled at her two bickering heroes and said over her shoulder as she left, "Don't worry Sam we'll go easy on him for his first KP duty!"

The younger Winchester smirked behind his older brother's back as he watched him watch her go and once the sound of her footsteps had become distant Sam turned to Dean and teased, "Six? Since when do you voluntarily get up that early for ...anything?"

Dean gave him a mock scowl and said, "All part of the research Sam, getting to know the normal functioning of the premises, to know if anything seems irregular, amiss..."

"Oh it's 'a Miss" you're researchin' alright." The younger man leered.

Dean smile broadened, "She does bear watchin' I'll give you that!" And he put his hand on his brother's shoulder and gave him a slight push toward the door. "But we are strict professionals and getting to know the territory is all part of the..."

"Service we provide...yee-ah," Sam said as he allowed Dean to push him out of the room.

"Now I think someones' a little grumpy and sleepy and needs to get his rest." Goaded Dean as he kept gently giving his brother the occasional shove toward the stairs.

Sam took that for only so long and spun around grabbing Dean's hands just before they landed on his back again saying, "If you ask me, I think Emma's one fine lady, kinda got the spirit and kindness in her that maybe even Mom'd be proud to know...and Sam took a few steps back from his brother who was standing still struck by the truth of those words. Then he added once he'd gained some distance, "So you think about that tomorrow morning mister "professional" when you're fixin' to scramble her eggs." And Sam sprinted away just out of the grasp of Dean's lunge.

They managed to keep their run up the stairs quiet and when they reached the bottom of the stairs that lead up to the bedrooms they were both smiling and panting.

Dean then nodded to his brother, "I'll be waking your ass up at two, that'll give us both four hours, so make sure you hit lights out as soon as you hit the sack, no computer, no reading. We've got a busy day of hard labor tomorrow and I need your gigantor body well rested-got it?"

Sam grinned and headed up the stairs, "Anything you say Dean-san."

Dean just shook his head then headed into the kitchen to warm up some coffee and grab a note pad he saw on the counter, he wanted to make some sketches of the plans for tomorrow. He couldn't help but feel a little anxious about getting the safe room done as quickly as possible for the sake of the kid's safety. He wanted this place and everyone in it to be as protected as he could make them. Against anything out there. And then he remembered the look Emma had had in her eyes a few moments ago and a surge of protectiveness flowed through him as he thought fiercely...ANYTHING.

To be continued

Please review


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7-If The Shoe Fits

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, just love'em. Wished ta hell I worked for Kripke

wWw

At the end of Dean's shift of first watch he dragged himself up the stairs and quietly knocked on Sam's bedroom door.

"Hmmmmph?" came the muffled reply from within.

Dean pressed his cheek to the door and said in a horse whisper, "Up and at 'em Sammy, I'm dead on m'feet here, second watch on deck...NOW!"

The door swung open so suddenly Dean nearly fell into the room. The younger Winchester stood there smirking sleepily as his older brother regained his balance.

"Great reflexes," Sam yawned.

"Way to sneak up on a person," Dean groused back.

"You wanted me ready, I'm ready." Sam dryly replied.

"Well, next time let a person know before you yank a door open like that." Dean yawned and stretched.

"Were you sleeping ON my door?" Sam grinned.

"Bite me." Dean yawned again. They both turned to head back toward the stairs, Sam to go down and start his patrol and Dean to head to his room and bed. At the head of the stairs Dean stopped and said, "There's a fresh pot of coffee in the kitchen waiting for ya."

"Thanks."

Dean nodded and said, "Oh and I made some sketches on a note pad by the coffee, check them out and see if you can add anything to them."

"Ok."

As Sam turned to go Dean added, "If anything trips your Spidey sense you come git me you hear? Bobby wants team Winchester on the case, no time to go solo."

Sam gave his big brother a sad smile and said, "Was there ever?"

They locked eyes for a moment and then Dean bowed his head and looked up at Sam through his thick lashes saying, "Not so far...no."

Sam's brow pinched and his eyes filled with compassion in agreement as he gave a quick nod and headed quietly down the stairs.

Dean watched him go and noted that, as he gathered up steam, Sam practically skipped down the last two. He shook his head as felt his own muscles ache for bed and thought 'where does he get that energy?'

Then the older Winchester plodded into the bathroom, his eyes immediately fell on the sulfur detector by the night-light. And it made him smile as he thought of holding the feisty little girl with the pink bow in her hair. He splashed some cool water on his face remembering that happy feeling he had as he held the child. 'It's funny' he thought, 'I never had been able to hold Sammy like that being only four years ahead of him. I always knew I'd protect him,' he smirked into the mirror then cocked his eyebrow at his reflection 'sometimes I didn't know how I'd git the job done' He padded his face dry with the clean soft hand towel and thought 'this place had accommodations better than any motel they'd ever stayed at' and that led to thoughts of Em laying that towel out personally for _him ._ He put the towel back, and trailed his fingers absently on the fluffy surface, it's small comfort some how reminded him of how Em had been holding her own here taking care of all these kids. And his mind raced back to that time in Nebraska, that thunder and lightening storm when Sammy was only four and he was only eight and their dad had been gone almost a week. 'Lord knows,' he reminisced, 'I was about as scared as he was, but I bluffed my way through it. I was just a kid then, learning as I went, staying one page ahead of M'kid brother.' How many times had he had to try and outwit his freakishly big-brained little brother to keep him safe? Dean shook his head to himself as he shut the light off and headed to his room. 'Seemed more like only one paragraph ahead most times' he smiled to himself as he sat on the edge of the bed and pulled his boots off then slipped out of his jeans. 'But it felt different somehow when I held Lil'pinkbow' he thought as he sat on the edge of the bed, 'more urgent that she be safe, she just seemed so small and vulnerable...' and he pressed his lips together as he realized how many of them, were just that vulnerable and how all of them depended on him and Sam now.

'Well, that thought will help me sleep...uh...right,' he said sarcastically to himself and reached over to tug on the pull chain of the lamp on his nightstand to shut the light off.

However, while he lay in the darkness letting his body relax into sleep his thoughts drifted to a more comforting subject as he recalled the way Em's hand had felt on his arm and how her face had beamed confidence in him so bright it almost hurt his eyes just looking at her smile. 'That smile...' he said to himself 'and her pretty mouth' and those thoughts made the corners of his own turn up as he drifted into quiet sleep.

wWw

Downstairs Sam found the pot of coffee his brother had made for him and next to it a bottle of cinnamon and a note.

"It's not the half caf vanilla crapachino you usually get but this might help wuss it up for you."

The younger Winchester smiled more at the thought of Dean going through a spice cabinet than at the joke itself. He knew his brother well enough to know that in an effort to stay awake Dean could amuse his mind by letting his loopy side out and he could picture Dean giggling to himself as he set the joke up. Yeah, if the world only knew, that Dean Winchester, the man with a rep of being meaner than a junk yard dog when killing a monster, did in fact, under the right circumstances-giggle, his tough guy image would be completely blown forever.

Sam's crooked smile stayed in place as he poured the coffee into one of the comfortably heavy mugs and sprinkled a little cinnamon on top of the black brew and headed for the fridge hoping there'd be half and half. He had to stop a moment to smile at himself, 'yeah, so what if the other half of the demon killing machine liked his coffee 'wussed up' that's no reflection on the man just coz he liked his coffee sweet and light-he was still the best demon ass kicker west of the ol' Missisipp." And he nodded to himself to punctuate the thought.

Anyone walking into the kitchen at that moment and catching the tall man with the long tousled hair smiling over his steaming cup of favorite brew would never guess how deadly a hunter he'd become by the contented look on his boyish face, because that was part of the secret weapon of Sam Winchester. His charm. He was disarming, figuratively and literally.

wWw

Upstairs Emma tossed and turned. She was having a dream, a very vivid one. She was in the safe room and it was crowded with children. She was holding on to the door from the inside with all her might and it seemed like something very strong and very dangerous was trying to pull it open. She could feel the wooden door being wrenched from its hinges and heard the sound of something awful from the other side. All she could do was hold the door closed against the strong tugging of what ever was there, she was trying with all her strength to keep the children safe but she wasn't strong enough and she could feel herself loosing her hold.

Suddenly Dean was there and he was struggling with what ever it was on the other side; he was bent on saving her and all the kids and she found herself filled with fear that he was battling that thing alone. The desire to have him safe filled her heart and she was paralyzed with the thought of anything harming him, she realized it would devastate her. And then his face was just inches away from hers, he was holding her and she felt helpless in his arms. She thought 'he's sooo strong and his arms make me feel sooo safe.' She wanted to reach up and touch the sweet swell of his cheek, where she saw a wound, and brush the tears of concern out of the corners of his eyes but she could not. She wanted more than anything to tell him she was alright, that she felt thrilled to be gazing into his lovely hazel green eyes and to know that his full lips were just a breaths width away from her own. And when he pressed those lips against hers she closed her eyes feeling her heart flutter as if it was coming alive for the first time...and suddenly she woke up. Breathless, panicked and profoundly aroused all at the same time!

'Emmaline Coulter what just happened?' She asked herself as she glanced about the room. The house was quiet and dark then she remembered the dream, 'It felt so real.' She stared at the ceiling for a few moments getting her self oriented. Glancing at the alarm clock by her bedside she could see it was nearly three o'clock in the morning and she would have to rise in a few hours. So she rolled over to her side and tried to will herself back to sleep. But her heart was still racing from her memories of the dream; the threat, the fear... and especially her emotions about Dean that were still so fresh.

So she lay there in the dark asking her self, 'could this be true? Do I have 'feelings' for Dean Winchester? I can understand having a nightmare about the threat we face that is just the minds way of dealing with a problem; by letting you prepare for it in a worst-case scenario. And it would be logical for person to feel attached to their protector.' She rationalized, 'Gratefulness, perhaps that was all it was.' she argued with herself. Then the memory of those lips of his pressing firmly against her own came back to her...'ohhhhh yeah.' And as often happened when she was working out a case her subconscious mind came up with the solution. She let her heart measure out the truth of it and there it was, she realized as she lay there in the dark... it was undeniable; the enigma of Dean Winchester whose beautiful face bravely masked a heart full of hurt had captured her own heart's attention. And as sleep slowly descended once more upon her she knew now was not a good time, it was the very worst time, she had to admit, to find herself falling in love.

wWw

Sam went back to the sketches his brother had left by the coffee pot and looked them over. They were good, Dean had clearly thought it out carefully and they now had blue prints for making a serviceable safe room with the materials at hand. He made a few notes and then made his walk through the downstairs area checking locks, salt lines and using the EMF detector for any spikes in energy levels around the house. Thankfully it was a quiet night.

When the pink hues of dawn rose on the horizon Sam went quietly upstairs to wake Dean. He planned on waking him up a half hour earlier than six...ostensibly so Dean'd be able to shower and get dressed before he met with Emma to help set up breakfast. But mostly because it would bug his older brother knowing that he'd lost one half hour of sleep and was up earlier than expected. After all the years together in close quarters being able to bug Dean in little ways was how Sam had learned to let off steam and have a little fun. It was a 'brothers thing.'

He knocked on Dean's door. "Rise N' Shine" you're burn'in daylight." Sam said to the wooden door.

"S'not daylight." Came the muffled reply.

"C'mon Dean time to make the donuts," Sam smiled.

"F_you,"

"Do I have to remind you children are present?" Smirked his brother.

"Then... Bite... Me."

"Dean, is that the professional attitude you want to show Ms Em?"

"?"

Through the door Sam could hear his brother groan, the bed creak as he tossed the blankets aside and the sounds of him rising and going through the drawers of the dresser for some clothes. Suddenly the door swung open to reveal a sleep derived but determined big brother.

"Ok I'm up. Give me ten minutes in the shower and you can officially hit the sack "

Sam grinned at the bed head his brother sported that belied his serious face. "Take fifteen and do something with that hair unless you want to impress her with your edginess side."

His older brother raked his fingers through his spiky locks but that only made them stick up in odder places. Sam thought the gesture could have been interpreted as self-consciousness, and the younger Winchester couldn't let that opportunity go by, "Dude, it's not like a first date or something it's only KP duty!"

"I know that!" growled Dean back.

(Defensive much?) Thought Sam as he fought to keep from grinning.

"Part of the job is to present ourselves in a professional manner..." retorted Dean.

Sam looked at his brother standing there in his disheveled sleep wrinkled boxers and T holding a wad of balled up clothes that he was going to wear and smiled, "Right."

"Good."

"Way to represent." said Sam as his grin grew broader.

Dean rolled his eyes and pushed past him with a hard nudge that nearly knocked the smiling Sam off balance and said to him over his shoulder, "Ok, Mr. GQ just make sure you don't crash til I'm outta the can alright?"

Sam gave him a mock salute and said, "Yessir Mr. Schmooze master Sir!"

Just then Emma came down the hall and paused at the head of the stairs when she spied Sam in front of the bathroom door. "Everything quiet last night? She asked.

Before Sam could speak the sound of the shower going on interrupted and then they could both hear Dean's gargled version of "Blue Eyed Baby Won't Ya Be Mine Tonight." Emma blushed.

They briefly exchanged glances then Sam moved away from the door and steered Ms. Em toward the stairs...away from the singing. "Yeah, uh...very in fact." He answered. "We drew up some plans for the safe room and well, Dean did most of the drawing, he's quite good with his hands...uh, I mean making plans...for carpentry, and you know, general fix it stuff."

Sam's discomfort struck her as so endearing that she felt instantly more at ease. "Yes, and he's got a lovely voice as well!" she said smiling.

"Uh...Yeeeah," Sam smiled running his hand up through his long hair. "He sings all the time in the car... to. EVERY. song...it can really get on your nerves." And she heard the love and admiration in his voice even as he shared the joke at Dean's expense.

While Sam walked and talked to her about the plans she found her self thinking 'Those two work so well together' But at the head of the stairs she paused and really looked at Sam with a concerned smile, "You look beat, " she said.

"I _am_ looking forward to a few hours of shuteye, " he agreed.

Then you go on, I'll just head down stairs and get things started a little bit ahead of your brother." She entreated.

"Thanks," Sam smiled wearily at her, "But I'm going to wait for Dean before I crash, just incase he has some last minute instructions, save some pancakes for me alright?"

She smiled back and told him with a wink, I'll make sure your brother doesn't eat them all." Then turned and headed down the stairs.

wWw

When she entered the kitchen she was already in planning mode, running what would be the most nutritious meal from the supplies they had through her head and assigning what duties Dean could do that would be helpful and out of her way at the same time, because after that dream she wasn't sure if having him in the kitchen would be more of a distraction than a help to her.

'Scrambled eggs, maybe he could do that and stirring the pancake batter, while I cook the bacon and bake the bread.' She thought as she gathered the ingredients and put them on the counter. She laid the big flat griddle plate over two of the burners on the gas stove and set it med low for the scrambled eggs and started the bacon. Then laid the other one down beside it to warm at a higher temp. for the pancakes. That prepped she took the towel off the bowl where the dough for the cinnamon bread had been rising overnight and grabbed her apron off the nearby hook tying it a bit more tightly around her waist than she usually did. 'Not because Dean was going to see me in an apron again and I want to dispel the matronly look it might give, no not for that.' she lied to herself, just because...because!' "Hummmmph," she shook her head at her own consternation. She felt more nervous about this that any prep she'd done for a trial.

Reaching up to bring the flour bag down to roll the dough in she found it nearly empty, "Damn," she said under her breath she'd thought she'd just opened one up and now she'd have to open a new one, with so many mouths to feed they went through it so quickly. She was reaching up to the top shelf for another when a low velvet purr behind her said, "Here...let me help with that," and just like that Dean was beside her pressing his hand on the small of her back for balance and looking deep into her eyes as he reached up over her head for the bag.

His touch made her jump and that caused him to tug the bag over the edge of the shelf too fast where it tipped and they were showered in a spill of its white powdery mist. He caught it before it truly fell and gently set it down. She could feel the gritty powder in her hair and on her face and saw that it was all over the perfectly cinched apron. But when she blinked her vision clear and looked over at him she saw the most adorable look of surprise in his repentant green eyes and noted that his long dark lashes were coated as if with snow. And then he sneezed.

"Aaaa....aaahhhh CHEWWWW!" he covered his nose with both hands and backed away in a cloud of flour coughing and shaking his head to clear his eyes leaving a trail of white on the newly washed floor.

She put her hand up to her mouth and fought the coughing fit that threatened to consume her as she struggled not to laugh. This was her hero.

"I'bm sorry, didn't know the damned thing was open." He tried to growl but it came out like a hoarse whisper.

She touched her hair and more white sprinkled down as she said, "You never know what you might find in a house full of children, a kitchen can be like a mine field." And smiled at his attempts to brush the stuff off his shoulders and out of his hair.

Smirking she added, "I think we have enough flour on the counter top now to roll the dough out though."

Dean gave her a shy smile back, and shrugged saying, " I aims to please."

She laughed and he joined her, he found himself thinking 'God it felt good to laugh like that, and she's got the best sound to hers, all full and throaty, like it comes right up from her toes' It made him feel real good to hear it.

As their laughter subsided and they shared shy glances Em finally said, "Well, we should uh, probably clean up a little before we get started, we can clean up the rest of this mess when the stuff is cooking."

"Look," he said, "why don't you go first, get yourself...uh...cleaned up and then when you come back I'll take a moment to go de-flour myself too... UH", realizing how that sounded he started to feel himself blush furiously, "uh...that didn't come out like...I meant."

She bowed her head to hide her own blush because if there was anyone she would like to have help in that matter... her mind raced back to the dream and his soft full lips lightly brushing up against hers. She swallowed and smiled saying, "I got it, I'll be right back feel free to start the coffee I could use a cup couldn't you?"

"Yeah, maybe if I wake up my mouth'll work right" he said abashed.

'Could that have been a Freudian slip?' she amused herself thinking. Then she asked, "Can you handle making the scrambled eggs?"

Dean stood a little taller, he was in more comfortable territory now having had to cook for Sammy when dad was away as well as doing some time as a short order cook during high school, so yeah he could handle that- might even teach her a thing or two!

She showed him where the large mixing bowls were and the whisks and nodded to the fridge that had the boxes of doz. eggs in it and he went to town.

Before she left she watched his practiced hand as he began to crack the eggs two at a time into the bowl. He looked up from the bowl with one eyebrow quirked and saw her looking back with approval, "how many eggs do ya think" he asked her.

"Use the whole dozen," she said then left the room to 'de-flour herself'. She returned moments later less coated with white and was drawn into the kitchen by the wonderful aroma of fresh coffee filling the air. On the counter was a cup of coffee waiting for her, Dean said, "cream no sugar, if I remember from dinner last night." His genuine smile reached all the way up to those hazel green eyes made more amazing by the rays of laugh lines that embellished the corners. And even with the flour smudged across his face he looked just right to her_. And_ Emmaline Coulter was impressed that he had paid attention to the small detail of how she liked her coffee. She took a sip and it tasted soo good. "Mmmmmm, why does food always taste better when someone else cooks it- this is great! Thanks Dean." She smiled and he ducked his head looking up at her through flour coated lashes and said, "We aims to please!"

She could feel her blush return so she picked up the rolling pin and began to roll out the dough. He hadn't taken his eyes off her and couldn't help but notice that beneath the edge of her short sleeve blouse her shapely arms swelled with a healthy bulge of muscle while she rolled the dough flat. He found himself thinking 'Never thought a gal who could flex a muscle like that would be sexy but...damn!' and when she caught him still staring he nodded his chin up at her and smiled as he quickly left the room to make himself more presentable.

When he returned he added more eggs to the bowl and began to whisk them vigorously; she found herself glancing over and noted that his arm muscles flexed mightily as he beat the eggs to a light frothy mass and when he paused to ask her if he could put some cheese and a secret Winchester ingredient into them. She blinked a moment at him trying to focus on what he'd just said, 'oh yeah-cheese' then a thought struck her and she looked skeptically back at him knowing how fussy young pallets could be, "What kind of secret ingredient?"

"Well, now if I told you it wouldn't be...a..."and he was faced with her quirked eyebrow.

She lightened up the look with a small smile saying, "Most of these kids will eat anything you put in front of them but some can be real picky eaters, and unless you and your brother want to eat scrambled eggs for breakfast, lunch and dinner, you better tell me what it is first and I can let you know if it will pass their taste test or not."

"I'm just gonna put in milk, mild cheddar and a pinch of thyme," He answered, "the thyme actually makes the eggs taste sweeter, it used to be the only thing that got Sammy to eat a regular breakfast or a supper meal sometimes." Dean said sincerely.

She felt that sense of protection come over her again when she saw the honesty in his face. "Did you do a lot of cooking for your brother?" she asked.

Dean walked over to the fridge, "Cheese in here?" he asked.

"Yeah, in the deli drawer."

He fetched it out and sauntered back to the bowl. "Grater?"

She weighed his stalling tactic. "It's in the left cabinet, it's a small tin hand held." She answered. As she waited for him to answer her question she got the soft butter out and smeared the dough with it and then began to sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar on top. During the comfortable silence she folded the dough into shape.

He held the grater in one hand over the bowl and began brisk passes of the cheese block over it that sprinkled shredded cheesy goodness into the egg mixture. After a few minutes of hearing nothing but the 'skish, skish sound of the cheese being grated he finally said, "Our dad was away a lot at "work" and he paused to look over to her for emphasis. She knew what kind of work John Winchester did, Bobby had told her, it was the same kind of work he'd raised his sons to do.

"Any way, it was my job to keep Sam safe, amused and well fed until Dad'd come home so yeah I got used to cooking. Mostly simple meals. I can use a can opener with the best of 'em." he smiled at her broadly. But she could see something behind the eyes that didn't completely smile back and it pinched her heart again. Dean grabbed the milk bottle, and his face got serious as he judged the amount he poured in, then began to whisk again.

She gave him a few minutes then said softly, "He looks like he thrived under your care" and she watched as her comment made him pause whisking a moment. Then he turned to her and flashed that brilliant smile and said, "I made sure he didn't starve but talk about your picky eaters...that one...you'd never know it by looking at him now but he was one hel...eck of a fussy eater as a kid. I had to find all kinds of ways to disguise different veggies and most meats just to get him to eat regular." Then a look of mischief put light in his eyes and he went over to the spice cabinet he'd found earlier and with a magician's flourish pulled the thyme bottle out saying, "Tah Dah, I give you the spice that takes the blandness out of everyday eggs and makes most kids ask for more!" And he shook a small amount into the mixture and began whisking more rapidly. He suddenly stopped and looked at her with a shake of his head, I forgot to put the pan on, where's yer griddle?"

She giggled a little a his look of consternation but showed him that the stove top griddle was prepped and ready and felt herself sigh when his shoulders relaxed as he tackled the cooking in earnest.

They worked together like clock work, she got the breads in the pans and popped them in the oven. Then set up the large warming trays to receive the bounty of scrambled eggs, bacon and pancakes. Once the eggs and bacon were covered in the warming tray Dean started the pancake batter and Emma peeled and diced the apples that would go in the mix. She absentmindedly munched on a wedge of apple and when she glanced over and saw his eyes upon the fruit smiled and asked if he'd like some.

"Yes, Ma'me!" he said while he stirred. Then he got a twinkle in his eyes and he opened up his mouth.

There was that 'Ma'me thing again she thought' but she felt her lips smirk in their own mischievous quirk and her heart thudded as she moved toward him. It was as if she was drawn to him like a magnet, she found her self by his side and just like it was the most natural thing in the world she placed an apple wedge on his waiting tongue. His eyes never took themselves off hers and she felt her self tremble as his lips brushed her fingertips when they closed upon the fruit. He stopped stirring. They stood like that as seconds ticked by, her hand frozen in mid action, her eyes locked upon his lips as he chewed.

And then _she_ did the unthinkable, she leaned upwards and pressed her lips softly against his and for a second nothing happened and she felt ashamed to have been so bold. She was about to break away, the apology already forming in her mind when his arms went suddenly around her pulling her tight against him and the press of his returned kiss left no doubt that she had not been imagining the attraction. He kissed her tenderly and softly and reverently like he'd planned it for a long long time and she felt herself relax into his embrace. She was sure without asking that he would never let her go before she wanted. And she knew in that moment that she didn't want to have those strong, warm arms ever leave her.

But wait. There was this nagging thing called timing!

They opened their eyes and both took a deep breath. Dean was the first to speak, "Em...I..." he halted at a loss for words. She could see conflict deep in his eyes as he struggled to say the right thing. But she didn't want him to have to say anything...not right now. After all she was the one that pressed him for this kiss, and a very rare self-doubt suddenly filled her. 'What if he had been just behaving gentlemanly and returned it out of...respect, (gah) maybe it was the curse of the apron thing again?'

"Dean," she dropped her arms and backed away as she began to fidget her hands in the hem of her apron. "I want you to know how grateful I am to you...and your brother for all that you are doing here for me...and the children. ('way to cop out on your feelings Em' she kicked herself.)

"Grateful." He said as he watched her back away. He nodded his head down to look at the floor then pressed his lips together and when he brought his head back up to face her she thought his eyes looked brightened with unshed tears. "Look, I'm not gonna lie to you, Bobby has already laid down the law about me laying one hand on you during my..our stay...here... while on duty..."

Her eyebrows shot up, "You talked about me to...(ulp!) Bobby?"

"Um, well yeah," he said and shifted on his feet. "We check in regular when on a hunt and the subject of you came up."

"Who brought it up?" she asked narrowing her eyes slightly and Dean suddenly felt like he was one of those defense attorneys about to have his brisket fried and handed to him on a platter.

He ran his hand across the back of his neck because honestly right now he couldn't really remember, "I don't recall really, me or him or Sam..."

"Sam knows!!" she nearly shouted. And it made him reach out to her with placating hands.

"Shhhhhhh, now the kids!" He hissed. But he recovered and stood taller. He swallowed once then took a stance. "Look, I ...we don't know how this is all gonna end." He blinked his bright eyes a few times then reached out to take her hands in his, "I've spent my whole life doing dangerous work, work where you don't know if that morning you get up you won't last til the evening of that day and I was alright with that because this is all I'd ever known and it was work that needed to be done. To save people from those things that nobody else could save them from. So it was ok that I never wanted...I mean...not that I didn't want," he smiled shyly and she couldn't help but return it, "but I never had anyone, known anyone like you that would want me to think twice about ...coming back the next day...regular. Like for longer than...well...for a while...like mebbe a _long_ while..."

Emma could feel her own eyes start to brim, she could see that this was hard for him and the moment was heavy with the sense that it was the first of its kind in his whole life...could it be? He was hoping she liked him!?

"So," he cleared his throat, "What I'm trying to say, and doing a bang up job here-" he grinned, " Is, I'd like to ask you out on a date, a for real one, after this is all over...to see where this might go...and I need you to promise me that you'll try as hard as I will to see ourselves through this, cause I'm hoping it goes to somewhere more permanent than...uh...gratitude. If that's all right with you?"

She smiled and said teasingly, "What will Bobby say if I told you 'yes'?"

Dean's mouth dropped open and then he laughed taking one step towards her and grabbing her up in his arms answered, "I think he'd say he'da kicked my ass if I hadn't asked ya!" And they kissed once more to seal the promise.

wWw

The kids knew something was up only a few minutes after breakfast was served. You can't fool kids. There was more giggling by the girls and the boys were punching each other in the arms more than usual. But it all went unnoticed by Emma and Dean. The two of them didn't speak any differently to one another but their tone was softer, they mighta stood a little closer together but they weren't constantly brushing up against each other either. It seemed to them they were behaving normally, not exceptional in any way. So after the wave of kids were served and cleared out of the kitchen and Sam shambled in later while they were washing things up they were surprised that he looked up from the pancakes Emma'd saved for him and asked, "Did I miss something?"

They were both by the sink Dean washing and Em drying and they looked at each other and answered , "Wha...no... nothing different." and "Same ol'Same ol' –why?"

Sam looked up from his breakfast confused and said, "I dunno, feels different like something happened, did Bobby call?"

Em asked , "No, should he?"

Dean clarified by explaining, "He means by now, did Bobby call in yet to touch base?"

Sam narrowed his eyes at them, "Ok, what's up?"

"Nothing." They both said.

Sam put his fork down and smoothed his napkin over his lips slowly then put it down on the table and said, "_Dean_?"

Dean took a deep breath and squared his shoulders, the beginning if his mad face starting to form, he turned to Emma and said through slightly clenched teeth, "I need to talk to my brother for a moment, excuse me. "Sam!" And he jerked his head toward the back door and led them outside.

The back door had just nearly slammed shut when Sam hissed, "After all Bobby told you Dean what did you do?"

"Nothing! I did nothing, Emma and I just had a agreement, a special agreement..."

"The last time you used the term 'special' and 'agreement' with women it was with the Kobiowski twins!" Sam sputtered.

Dean stopped walking a moment and his eyes softened with the memory, "Ah, the twins, THAT was special," then he resumed his mad face and said, but this is different. Em's...special, very special to me. And his expression got reflective, "Sammy, how didya know Jess was the one?"

Sam ceased all movement at the mention of her name and looked at Dean as the implication became clear. His brother was asking _him_ love advice. "I ...uh...it just happened ..."and he found that there was no pain in his heart recalling these memories because they were the most joyous ones in his life, "We.. uh...were at this party and she said she just knew I'd ace the entrance interview and I could see it in her eyes, the faith and confidence she had in me and...uh... the light caught her hair and she seemed to be radiating this light and deep warmth...it was like her smile was the sun and I was basking in it and I could barely keep my eyes on her it was so bright...and I just knew. That warmth just pulled me in and I never knew I'd ever even been that cold before until I felt the warmth of her smile in my heart. You just know man." Sam said as he patted his hand on Dean's shoulder adding softly, "You just know."

Dean pursed his lips thoughtfully and realized that what his brother said rang true. He glanced up and told Sam "Sounds about right to me. But we won't know any of it for sure unless we all come out of this alive and that means we have a hellava lot a lot building to do in that basement today."

The younger Winchester grinned from ear to ear to hear Dean say what he did. Then teased, "Dude, you just totally made me your love guru."

Dean stopped in his tracks and huffed, "Shuttup!" then headed back to the house. And said over his shoulder, "And don't go callin' Bobby." Sam snickered as he followed his big brother to the house.

When they came back into the kitchen Emma was still there, wiping down countertops and she looked at the two of them as they entered. Dean stepped towards her and said, "We're fine."

She looked at Sam who was standing behind Dean and trying not to smile and she looked back at Dean then she sighed. Dean looked over his shoulder at Sam then back to her and turned his palms up by way of explanation, "He's my brother and ...we're fine."

Sam could see an awkward moment when he saw one so he excused himself by way of saying he was going to gather some of that rebar for the welding they'd be doing and exited the back door again.

So Emma made a move to gather up his breakfast dish but Dean stopped her by gently putting his hands on her shoulders, "Em, he gathered that you and I have interest in each other and I chose not to deny the fact, did I do anything wrong?"

She looked up into his serious face, it struck her that his face could be so boyish and yet so timelessly wise and her trust in him made her shoulders relax when he touched them. She reached up and caressed the sumptuous curve of his cheek and said smiling, "No, you did everything right." And he felt his heart melt in the warmth of that smile.

wWw

The brothers worked without a break all that morning and through lunch. By the time Emma came down with sandwiches after 1:00 o'clock she was amazed at how much they had accomplished in such short time. The root cellar had been cleared out, painted sigils decorated the walls, ceiling and floor. A series of pentagrams made of rebar hung on every wall connected to each other by more rebar and culminating in multiple bars of rebar welded together as a protective lock that acted as its sliding bolt across the interior of the door.

"Well, whaddya think?" Dean grinned at her.

She turned in a slow circle taking in all the symbols and the band of intricately welded pentagrams that girded the walls. "It's amazing!"

Sam gestured toward one wall and said, "We're going to install hanging bunk beds along there and over along that one we can put the fridge from the infirmary, a table or two from the school and shelves for supplies."

Dean came up beside her and put his arm around her waist saying, "With the bunk beds in place and the other furniture and shelves the protections symbols won't be as visible so the kids don't have to be reminded as much about the nature of the room. And that will go a long way in keeping them calmer."

Just the fact that through all this design he was still worried about the children's fear made her love this man even more. She looked up into his handsome face and didn't trust her voice to waver but told him, "Thanks for considering that, you really thought of everything!" And he saw a look in her eyes of trust and admiration which made fierce protectiveness toward her, the kids and everything this place stood for blossom inside his heart.

He pulled her more tightly against his side and said, "I won't let anything harm you, ever Em." And her face beamed up at him so bright it nearly hurt his eyes.

Sam coughed softly, "Uh...still working."

She felt Dean lessen his hold as he smiled down at her saying, "We're still working."

And smirking she slowly stepped out from his hold nodding back, "I'll go get spare sheets and bedding and see if I can scrounge up some padding to go on the beds for mattresses."

"Good idea" Dean said. "And if anyone's got a sleeping bag or camping gear that would be good, oh, and canned goods, bottled water that kind of stuff."

She suddenly found it hard to tear herself away, but nodded her head again and backed out of the room, "Right, I'll get right on that, oh, and Pastor Torkleson said he'd stop by tonight and perform a cleansing."

"Good." The brothers said in unison and turned back to the work at hand.

wWw

As night fell Bobby sped toward the rendezvous point. He got the call just as he was pulling off the interstate. The connection was bad, but the sounds of battle were unmistakable. He heard his friends voice yell in the darkened cab of the truck "Where the hell are you?"

"I'm just heading down the ramp to connect to 240 then a half mile at most, what's happening?" he yelled back.

"Surrounded, lost at least ten men." (break- sound of shot gun blast and screaming nearby) 'Rolly's here!" (more screaming and a deafening boom) "He's brought reinforcements. Come behind (break) farm, we're making a stand by the old barn" (Scuffle and boom of shot gun then more gunfire) "Can't talk...git here quick as you can!"

And Bobby gunned it. Even before he got to the cut off he could smell the sulfur. When he reached the fields that went around back of the farm he could see, even in the dark, the scorch marks that scourged out acres of the green corn crops and bodies were every where. He couldn't tell which ones were hunters and which ones were the remains of the possessed that were sprawled across the battlefield.

A sudden explosion shifted his attention to the distant barn and he eased himself out of the truck and crept through the standing corn for cover.

When he came upon the clearing the sight before him looked like hell on earth. More bodies everywhere! Mostly in pieces. A snatch of familiar flannel and dropped weapon that he recognized meant another family would be without their loved one, he broke into a run, holding the great book of demon banishing spells tight to his chest like it was a life preserver in this hellish sea of carnage.

He made his way to the small band of hunters that were left as they created a hastily drawn devils lock around them. Then while the few men standing shot blessed silver from the edges of the circle Bobby began to read.

The confrontation brought a crescendo of deafening noise as demon after demon rushed the small band of hunters defending their protection circle but Bobby kept on reading as the thrust of the possessed kept on coming. Body after body of damned came at them each one falling and writhing as they were hit with shot or succumbed to the invocations Bobby screamed at them. Despite their best efforts the demons kept the men pinned down. Another small group of hunters had captured a demon within their circle and were attempting to do an exorcism on him but while they had him pinned down, a mighty roar shattered the night followed by eerie laughter as black smoke spewed forth from a demon toward the back of the charge.

The black tubular cloud circled the men and then spun off into the air. When the last of the advancing demons was dispatched, the demon they'd captured spoke and it made their skin crawl, "Your deaths mean nothing, this was just a ruse to waste your time and thin your numbers, the one that was meant to finish the job is free and goes to feast on sweeter meat!" Its laugh was deep and terrible; the sound left the remaining men feeling broken. Bobby loomed over the writhing form and demanded it tell the name of the demon that escaped. It laughed again. "Golgatha, eater of children, torturer of the innocent!" it brayed proudly as it squirmed and struggled to break free.

Then it stopped moving and stared at Bobby as if it recognized him and looked deep into the hunter's eyes. It grinned evilly and said, "You think of those two standing guard as your kin don't you?" Then licking its lips in a vulgar way, it sneered, "They will be saved for last and chewed alive very slowly to savor every scream." Bobby knew demons lie, knew they messed with your head whatever way they could to do the most damage but that didn't stop him from slamming his heavy boot upside the demons skull. Two of the other hunters had to pull him off before he did the beast a favor and released it from it's moral host then and there.

Bobby shook the hands off him and snarled "DO IT! Send the F*cker back to hell." And they immediately restarted the rite to send it back. He took a deep breath to calm himself and stepped away from the loud chanting and the demons screams as he pulled out his cell phone, he knew he had to make a call. One he'd hoped he'd never have to make, he had to tell 'his' boys they'd failed and that the worst of the lot was coming their way.

To be continued---

Please review


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8- If The Shoe Fits

Don't own 'em, just love 'em. Wished ta hell I worked for Kripke

wWw

Sam and Dean worked tirelessly through the evening. They had the folding bunk beds installed along the wall and the refrigerator and tables were in place. At some point in the finishing stages Em had run the idea by Sam and Dean of a 'sleep over' in the new "club house" tonight so that all the children could feel that this was a place to go for fun as well as safety.

Dean smiled at her in that special way he had when he was real happy that lit up his face and caused the crinkles at the corners of his eyes to flash like sun bursts and he said, "Em, that's a great idea! We can ask them to all bring down their pillows and blankets and favorite toys or board games and you can make a night of it down here with them while Sam and I do our watches."

Sam added, "It would be a great way to test the space and give us an idea of any improvements you might still need for us to make."

Em put the armload of bedding down that she'd brought for the bunk beds, "Oh, I think they'll love it down here," she said looking around then beamed up at Sam, "I'll spread the word that each one of them should come down here with one thing that they really want and that will help them all feel it's their space too." She left to go upstairs and plan the meal and before too long one after another of the children came down with a toy or book or game.

As they worked Dean and Sam got a kick out of the wide eyed expressions on each of the kids faces as they came in one by one or in a group and "Oooo'ed and "Awwweed" the minute they saw the place.

Dean was putting the last of the shelves up when Jim came up to him and tugged on his shirt. Dean turned and looked down and smiled at him saying, "Hey, buddy. Whadaya think?" Jim was grinning from ear to ear. He looked around and seemed to drink the place in, and then he said in a whispered voice, "It's better than I imagined." Dean's eyebrows bounced up and he looked over to Sam who'd stopped working the moment the kid spoke.

The kid had broken his silence, and they knew it was a huge moment but they also realized it was a fragile moment too and didn't want to make Jim feel awkward by showing how excited it made them that he'd finally talked.

Dean swallowed and ratcheted down the grin that was threatening to split his face. He put his hand onto Jim's shoulder played his excitement down and calmly said, "you...uh... want the tour?"

Jim looked from Dean to Sam and smiled broadly, "Yeah!" he said all hint shyness having disappeared.

Dean cleared his throat in mock formality and gestured with is free hand, "These sigils here on the floor and ceiling are special wards to keep out the bad guys," indicating the designs above them and at their feet. "See, they're like an air horn and bright lights blasting at them at the same time...and they don't like it and will steer clear."

Wide eyed, Jim nodded solemnly at them.

Sam was standing by the wall with the bunk beds and he reached over to unlatched one of the beds and drop it down into position for sleep. Smiling at the boy he said , "Over here you can pull down a bed and get comfortable for the night, I weighted them so that they would pull down easy and put back up real easy too. Come on try it."

Jim glanced at Dean and Dean winked and nodded him to go ahead. Slowly the child approached the bed and jumped upon it. He lay down and then bounced around to test its strength. Sam looked concerned and put his arms out to get him to be less rough with it but then Dean moved in saying, "Hey, I'm glad you're volunteering to test them, Sam wanted to try but I figured they wouldn't stand up to his Sasquatch size body roll'in around on them."

Sam looked at Dean and exasperatedly spread his hands. Jim giggled and said, "I could bounce on all of them if you want!" But Dean stepped over to him and helped him off the bed saying, "Noooooo, I don't think so buddy, you're makin' Sammy here way too nervous."

"He is not," Sam countered.

Dean and Jim looked at each other and both said at the same time, "Is so!"

"HAA!" A laugh exploded from Sam as he grinned so big his dimples made canyon creases down his cheeks and he nodded at Dean and the boy, "No fair...two against one."

At that Jim smiled and walked over to the big man saying, "Coz you made 'em I bet they're safe." and extended his hand to Sam to shake.

(ULP!) Thought Sam as his heart filled. He looked over to Dean and saw his big brother blink a few times and then wipe his hand over his eyes.

A magic moment kind of happened then, Dean watched Sam's giant paw of a hand engulf the tender smallness of the child's and gently pump once then one more time. It was like he was witnessing some gentleman's agreement of trust and acceptance of him and Sam into the family at the Shoe. And it made him want to protect his new family more than ever.

Upstairs the phone rang and Emma picked it up, it was the pastor and he told her he would be over after the bible study meeting tonight to do the "cleansing" ritual. She thanked him and felt as if a great weight had just been lifted off her chest.

wWw

But miles away a black smoke rose up from the battlefield, even darker than the night and it took off speeding high above the clouds. It was the demon Golgatha hurrying toward the Shoe. It laughed as it streaked along way up in the sky and the rumbling sound was like that of distant thunder and the rending of metal all at the same time., it was hungry and it could barely contain itself as it lusted to hear the high pitched screams from the young flesh it was planning to devour. 'FREE!... FREE!' It thought malevolently. 'FREE to rip and rend and tear and slop up dripping blood soaked flesh. FREE to bask in their helpless panicked choked screams!' It's thoughts were as dark and viscous as tar, slow and poisonous and thick with hate. 'FREE to unleash chaos and despair once more!'

It flew past the hundreds of towns and cities and its hunger grew. It could smell the sweet smell of children sleeping below and fought the urge to drop down upon them and ravage a path of death and destruction along the way. 'WAIT. Must wait.' It steeled itself. 'First the ones at the Shoe, and then the rest of you.' It rumbled some more laughter. 'And it will be written that Golgatha slew all the worlds children, all the children will be mine to rend and chew after I'm done with the few of you, after the ones that hide at the Shoe! All will be mine to chew!' And it rumbled once more at its own cleverness.

wWw

Back at the battle site the men tended their wounded and somberly committed the final rites for their fallen, Bobby looked around at all the carnage and shook his head, this had ended badly and he needed to make one more call he didn't want to make...he dialed Dean's number.

"Bobby! You alright?" Dean picked up at the first ring, he hoped he was about to hear that the battle was over and had been a success but the pause told him otherwise.

"Dean," Bobby's weary voice made his listener hold his breath, "It was a trap, the whole damn thing was a set up to git us away from the Shoe so's they could send some big gun in to finish the job on the kids."

"How many incoming?" Dean nervously asked.

"Just one, "Golgatha" by name, he's known as the devourer of children." Bobby answered.

Dean clenched his jaw as a dark shadow crossed his heart. He suddenly realized that all of those years of training, all the stamina and all of the skills he and his brother developed were about to be put to the test and if they failed the innocent lives of these orphans would be lost.

"I'm bringing the rest of the men still standing over there as fast as I can," Bobby told him, "but you and Sam better put together a plan to barricade that place and you'd better do it pronto, no telling how fast that thing can travel and right now you and the kids are sitting on ground zero."

Dean firmed up his resolve. This would stop now, he and Sam had to stall it and keep the kids safe as long as they could until Bobby and the men could arrive and that could mean a stand off of forty eight hours at least.

"Dean! Did you hear me boy?" Bobby yelled.

Dean automatically straightened to his full height, "Yes Sir!" he answered. "Sam and I will keep the kids safe and we'll end that demons sorry ass if he comes knockin'"

Bobby sighed into the phone, that stubborn Winchester determination to save everyone despite all odds against them might just be all that stood between those kids and the most horrific despair he could imagine. But those two idjits were his family too. So he swallowed and spoke in a softer voice to the man on the other end, "Look, just leave off the heroics for once woudja?"

"Bobby?"

The older hunters next words were spoken in almost a thick whisper, "I'm just sayin' that I want to find you and Sam amongst the survivors ya hear me?"

It was so unusual to hear the sound of helpless worry in the older hunter's voice that it made him pause. Usually Bobby just accepted, that one day, fighting the good fight, they'd loose. Hell, his dad had always expected them to give 100 percent to the fight, and dying was just a price they would have to pay someday in order that someone else could live. So for Bobby to even mention they had an option too to try to save themselves meant he was pretty damned scared for them. Scared of WHAT was coming for them. And Bobby had seen more than enough of what was out there to pick and choose what to be afraid of. Dean swallowed hard. He was more grateful than he'd ever be able to say for that man's devotion to him and Sam and he wanted to say so much right now. He wanted to ease this man's mind and heart, but he knew those words would not come. So he fought the chin quiver that threatened to betray his own voice and said quietly, "Me and Sam'll be here when you get here."

He heard what sounded like a cough hiding a sniff then Bobby gruffly snapped back, "See that you are!" And the called ended. The older Winchester smiled sadly as he looked down at the darkened screen of the phone in his hand. And Dean said, "You get here safe too." Then he turned to tell Sam they'd better wrap things up.

wWw

As the demon neared his destination Golgatha swung down from the clouds in search for a proper vessel to house his true form. Something that would epitomize his predatory and vicious nature, something with teeth, the better to shed flesh by, something that would fill the hearts of his young victims with terror for he thrived on the fear that rolled off them, something that would be the stuff of nightmares, the better to scare them with. And he reached out his senses and sought out the stench of death. "THERE!" He caught the whiff of carrion and swooped down for a closer look.

It was the body of a wolf.

I had been a large one in life, enormous really, the once thick, majestic coat was now dull and dry with patches missing from the ravages of scavengers. One eye was almost gone and the other was a rheumy, swollen blob of opaque gray. And there hanging out of its belly cavity was a fringe of sea weed like brown strands, all that was left of its dried entrails after the merciless sun had beat down upon them. But it was the overpowering stench of putrid death that lured the demon to the corpse like a sick perfume. "From Death to a bringer of death" it hummed to itself as it flowed into the corpse's nostrils.

Suddenly an unearthly red light emanated from the dead wolf's eyes and it's whole body convulsed in a series of shudders. Something between a bark and a "Hack!" coughed from the dry open muzzle and then it's jaws slammed shut. With one mighty shove it rocked itself to it's side and stiff legs pushed itself up so it could stand. It coughed once more and shook itself all over as if to rid water from it's coat but nothing but a powdery mist of dust and the stench of death wafted from it.

The wolf bent its head down to it's torn belly and tried to lick at the stringy fringe protruding from it's gut but that only made it shudder some more. Then it took its first shaky step. Desiccated tendons snapped and bones seemed to be too fluid under the skin as it walked from the place it had laid down to die. It looked to the right and then to the left and then sat down and looked up at the moon. It's leathery tongue lolled out of the corner of its mouth so it snapped its jaws open and closed a few more times to try to draw moisture to them. Then it threw its head back and howled at the moon. The sound that came out of its ruined throat wasn't like the mournful howl of the natural wolf. It started out deeper than a lions roar and degraded into something like steel being torn apart, un-natural and just wrong; and every living thing within earshot froze at the sound of it's wrongness.

Silence.

It filled the desert night.

Not an insect or the rustle of bats wings could be heard; just the awful expectant stillness of dread. The wolf looked around and cocked it's head to one side as if listening for just one thing to dare to move. Then Golgatha made that pierced metal rumble of thunder come out of it's throat, it laughed at the fear coming from the little forms of life as they shrank away from the demon –wolf. It snapped its jaws and licked it's dried lips then rose to trot off toward it's prey. It had many miles yet to travel and this newly animated corpse had much stiffness to work out before the demon could use it as the lethal killing machine it would become. The screechy thunder vibrated through its throat again, 'How perfect a fit this wolf will be for the purpose of my desire'. And with that thought the demon wolf sprinted off into the night.

wWw

Sam had watched Dean's face as he'd talked with Bobby and from the side of the conversation that he could hear he was braced for bad news.

"Dean?"

Dean turned to him with his game face in place, and that scowl told Sam they were about to be in for it. "Bobby said one of 'em got away. The whole thing was just ruse to get them away from us, here at the Shoe... and the demon comin', 'Golgatha' by name, is the meanest sonofabitch of the lot."

Sam's face paled. "I know that name, it's a demon that goes back to the old testament days, it tormented the tribes in the area and demanded tributes of sacrifice of their young to keep it appeased. It especially liked children, the flesh of innocents."

Sam and Dean's eyes locked for a moment. Dean thought of lil'pink bow and the other little ones who sat in the highchairs at dinner last night and his face took on a cold set to it that made Sam tense with kindred resolve.

"Hell NO." Dean growled. "Come on we gotta get this finished and the kids secured here ASAP." Then another thought struck him and his grim face softened to one of sadness and he said, "I better go tell Em."

Sam saw the look pass across his brothers face and swallowing hard nodded back.

wWw

Dean found her upstairs in the kitchen, her back was to him as she was stirring the sauce that would go on the chicken parm tonight.

"Em?" He said softly. She stopped stirring and turned to him, she'd heard the sound of worry in his voice.

In a few quick strides he crossed the floor opening his arms as he moved toward her and she moved as quickly toward him to fill them.

They embraced. After a moment he moved his hands up to capture her worried face and she asked "Are they coming?"

He gently placed a kiss on her forehead and then pulled back to look into the concern in her eyes. "Just one." he said. "But Bobby says it's a bad one...real bad. And we should get the kids down there now and prepare for a few days lockdown."

"A few days!" she said. "I thought...I just...I don't know what I thought but ...days?"

Dean put his arms around her and held her tight whispering in her ear, "I know we thought this would be over sooner...it be more like an assault...over and done with one way or the another in a matter of hours but right now the smart thing is to treat this more like a siege. Get the most important things secure, you and the kids. Get you all stocked up for several days and wait it out until the calvary comes."

"Calvary?" she asked.

"Bobby is rounding up the men still standing to get here as fast as possible and end this Thing." he answered.

"But what about you? Where will you...and Sam...?"

"We'll be right there in the secure room with you and the kids, don't worry. We're not gonna try and take this thing down on our own and leave you and the kids defenseless." And he hugged her tight once more. Then he looked down at her with a mischievous glint and said, "So," nodding with his chin toward the delicious sauce on the stove, "Can we get that to go?"

wWw

Pastor Torkleson just needed to drop Tammy Stevenson off after the bible study, her house was just past the long road that led to the Shoe and then he would swing by and do that cleansing he'd promised Emma Coulter. It had been a while since he'd been asked to do a cleansing ritual and he was going over the supplies in his head that he'd brought with him as Tammy talked on and on about the latest teenage tragedy her family had gotten her into. The pastor tried hard to concentrate on what the girl was saying through the mental check list he was going over. He knew it was important to be available to any opportunity that might present itself for spiritual out reach and he knew of the troubles that girls family had been through. He was inwardly berating himself for not being able to divide his attention and focus more on the what the girl was saying when a large furry shape jumped in front of the car.

The girl screamed, he turned the wheel and hit the brakes so hard he was practically standing up but even as the car swerved the sickening thud of impact happened.

The car spun around and screeched to a halt. He was in shock. He could still hear the sound of screaming in his ears and couldn't tell if he was still hearing the tires screaming or the plaintive wails of his distraught passenger. "Oh, dear God!" he said turning to Tammy, "Are you alright?"

The girl's tear streaked face gaped back at him unable to respond. He realized then that he still had a death grip on the wheel and it took him a second to unclench his hands from it. ' Must have been a dog,' he thought, 'perhaps someone's beloved pet that had dashed out in front of them and was now lying in the middle of the road.' His fault. He knew he should check to see if it was still breathing, although he doubted that it would be alive or live very much longer, it took a pretty direct hit from the car. His car. But still he felt obligated to check, if only to move the body to the side of the road and perhaps to check the dog tags so that he could report it to the pet's owners. God he was still shaking!

"Tammy, honey, you alright?"

She feebly nodded back.

"I'm going to go and check on the dog, I'm afraid it might be...I might have killed it, but I want to check and see if it has dog tags so that I can tell it's owners.' He reached over and grabbed a flashlight out of the glove compartment. "You stay in the car alright? I'll be right back." And he put his shaking hand on the door handle and had to push extra hard just to open it. 'Holy Saints,' he thought, 'The impact was hard enough to have bent the frame a little! The things dead for sure.'

He stepped out and looked back, the circle of light did not reveil any furry lump in the middle of the road as he expected. Just a stain, a large maroon blood stain where the dog should have been.

'Father in Heaven, could it have limped off somewheres?' And he began to scan the area behind them for signs of disturbed bushes or a blood tail leading off the road.

Suddenly he heard the most unearthly growl. Every hair on his body stood up and then Tammy began to scream.

He spun around just in time to focus the beam on the haunches of a huge dog, it had to be the one he'd hit, cramming themselves into the car and going after Tammy. The kid was screaming that high pitched wail kids do when they're hurt or terrified or both.

Suddenly he knew, just knew that the kid was a gonner if he couldn't drag her out in time. 'The dog must have been rabid' he thought as he ran back toward the car. Seconds before he could reach the passengers side door his worst fears were realized as he heard awful crunching sounds on top of the wail and then she just stopped screaming.

Dread filled his heart but his body kept rushing up to the side of the car. Even though he feared to look inside at what he might see, the pastor grabbed the car door handle and pointed the flashlight inside and the beam spotlighted a nightmarish sight. The beast was huge, not a dog, a wolf, biggest wolf he'd ever seen and it's muzzle was covered in gore from the little girls intestines some of them were still hanging from its mouth. He was nearly overcome with the smell of death that wafted at him in gagging waves from the creature as it gorged upon her body and then it looked up at him, into his eyes and he saw that they glowed red.

Hell.

It was a thing from hell.

It growled that ear piercing rumble and the last thing the pastor thought before it hit was how unbelievably long its teeth were.

wWw

Emma had given the kids a challenge to find their Monster buster buddies and be the fastest MB buddies to reach the club house. And while the kids raced around to pair up and run down to the safe room Dean and Sam went outside to do a quick recon.

They were out in the back yard noticing how bright the moon was when they heard the sudden honking of geese drift up from the pond situated between the house and the main road . From the sounds the geese were making something had spooked the whole flock of them to suddenly take flight.

They looked up into the charcoal sky as a massive triangle of the honking birds passed over head heading west, then a more ragged group flapping as hard as they could made off to the south and a third group of stragglers headed east, all of them calling out desperately to their flock mates as if in their panic they couldn't decide which way to go.

Dean and Sam looked at each other. It wasn't hunting season they knew that for sure. In their line of business it's good for their own survival to keep track of when the civilians would be armed and out in the woods hunting Bambi's kin especially when you needed to be in the same woods hunting whatever was hunting the hunters. Besides, they'd heard no gun shots before the birds had been flushed from the pond.

Still looking up Dean asked Sam, "You got that compass on you?"

Sam knew exactly where his brother was going with that thought. Like most birds that migrate Geese are guided in part by following magnetic fields, and if a sudden disturbance THAT big caused them to spook it could be a sign of something supernatural in the area.

Sam reached into his pants pocket and pulled out his key chain, it had been a gift from Dean as a joke because it had a compass on it, 'so that Sam wouldn't get lost' when he drove the Impala, and he checked the needle. It was spinning around wildly. He looked back up at Dean and then at the house and with alarm in his eyes said, "Run!"

(to be continued)

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